Introduction to IMO

Basic Leadership and Management Course

 Specific Learning Objectives
1. define IMO;
2. determine the objectives and historical
background of IMO in maritime industry;
3. enumerate and explain the structure and
convention process of IMO;
4. recognize International conventions and its
enforcement on Maritime Safety and
Marine Pollution related base on IMO
regulations.
International Maritime Organization
(IMO)
• IMCO in 1948
IMO in 1982

• U.N. AGENCY
• 166 MEMBERS STATES

• Cooperation agreement with 36

inter-governmental organisations

• 63 non-governmental
organisations in consultative
status
• 300 CIVIL SERVANTS
 A Technical Organization
« ...  To provide machinery for co-operation among
governments in the field of governmental
regulation and practices relating to technical
matters of all kinds affecting shipping engaged in
international trade, to encourage and facilitate the
general adoption of the highest practicable
standards in matters concerning the maritime
safety, efficiency of navigation and prevention and
control of marine pollution from ships, to deal with
administrative and legal matters related to the
purpose set out in this article … »

Article 1, Geneva Convention of 6 March 1948

 Purpose:
To Promote:

- Cooperation For The Regulation And Practice

- The Highest Standard Of Safety And Navigation

- The Prevention And Control Of Pollution

IMO Structures
• ASSEMBLY (166)
• COUNCIL (40)
• MSC +
• MEPC
• Sub-Committees
• Legal Committee
• Technical Co-operation
Committee
• Facilitation Committee
• SECRETARIAT
IMO STRUCTURES
Sub-committees
• Bulk Liquids and Gases (BLG)
• Carriage of Dangerous Goods, Solid Cargoes
and Containers(DSC)
• Fire Protection (FP)
• Radio-communications and Search and
Rescue (COMSAR)
• Safety of Navigation (NAV)
• Ship Design and Equipment (DE)
• Stability and Load Lines and Fishing Vessels
Safety (SLF)
• Standards of Training and Watchkeeping
(STW)
• Flag State Implementation (FSI)
 Structure
• Assembly – Governing body composed of 166
member States. Meets normally every two (2) Years

• Council – Acts as governing body in between

Assembly Sessions; Composed of forty (40) member of
States; Meets every six (6) months and prepares the
budget and work program for the Assembly.
 Cont…
• Committees – serve as the Technical Arm; includes
the following: Maritime Safety, Marine Environmental
Protection, Legal, Technical Cooperation and
Facilitation.

• Sub- Committees- handle subjects as indicated in

their titles such as Safety of Navigation, Radio
Communications, STCW, Ship Design and Equipment,
etc.

• Secretariat- headed by the Secretary General

assisted by a Staff of some 300 International Civil
Servants, appointed by the Council with the approval of
the Assembly.
 Assembly

Council

Maritime Technical
Legal Facilitation Safety MEP
Cooperation

FSI
Radio
Fire STCW Stability Communications
Protection Loadlines
Bulk Liquids
Safety of Ship Design & Dangerous & Gases
Navigation Eqpt Goods
 IMO Activities
• Standard Setting
• Consultation Activities
• Technical Cooperation
 IMO Regulations
SAFETY

SECURITY LIABILITY

MARINE
POLLUTION
 Main IMO Conventions
Maritime Safety
• International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea
(SOLAS), 1974
• International Convention on Load Lines (LL), 1966
• International Convention for Safe Containers, 1972 (CSC)
• International Convention on Standards of Training,
Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW), 1995
• Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing
Collisions at Sea, 1972 (COLREGs)
• International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue,
1979
 Consultation Activities
• « A machinery for consultation among members and the
exchange of information among governments »
• A permanent fixed body for encouraging multilateral
consultation
• A global forum for experts from all maritime nations
• IMO continuity of operation allows its Secretariat to
regulate, select and communicate a considerable volume
of information
• Speed of reaction to emergencies
- Estonia accident (1994) and improvement of safety
for passenger ro-ro vessels (1995)
- 11/9 events (2001) and ISPS Code (2002)
 Technical Cooperation
• Integrated Technical Cooperation Programme (ITPC)
Purpose - to assist countries in building up their human
and institutional capacities for uniform and effective
compliance with the IMO regulatory framework
• World Maritime University (Malmö)
• International Maritime Law Institute (Malta)
• Technical cooperation funding IMO can mobilize financial,
human and logistic
• resources for its maritime assistance projects from a wide
variety of sources
Thank You
and
Good Day!