Security

IMO Assembly session concluded

Some 1,000 delegates attended IMO’s 25th Assembly session, concluded on November 30. Secretary-General Efthimios E. Mitropoulos was re-elected for a new four-year term. A new Council was elected and Johan Franson, head of the Swedish Maritime Safety Inspectorate, was re-elected as its chairman.

22 resolutions were adopted during the session. Among those were one on piracy off the coast of Somalia in which the transitional government of Somalia was requested to consent to foreign warships and military aircrafts to enter its territorial sea to chase pirates and armed robbers.
A resolution on ballast water management was also adopted. Among other things, the resolution allows that certain new ships built in 2009 can be exempted provided that type-approved technologies are not available.
The Assembly also adopted a resolution on guidelines for voyage planning in remote areas far from search and rescue facilities. The resolution is a response to the growing number of cruise vessel sailings to destinations such as the Antarctic.

Written: 2007-12-19 13.58.53
Editor: Rolf P. Nilsson