International Maritime OrganizationInternational Maritime Organization
Established by a Convention adopted in Feb. 1948 as Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization (IMCO) as an Agency of UNO
Renamed as International Maritime Organization (IMO) in 1982
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"Safe, secure and efficient shipping on clean oceans“
IMO is the United Nations' specialized agency responsible for improving maritime safety and preventing pollution from ships.
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IMO's main task has been to develop & maintain a comprehensive regulatory framework for shipping & its remit today includes safety, environmental concerns, legal matters, technical co-operation, maritime security and the efficiency of shipping.
IMO's Main Task
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Taking measures to implement a proactive policy, so that trends which might adversely affect the safety of ships and those on board and/or the environment may be identified at the earliest feasible stage & action taken to avoid or mitigate such effects.
In implementing this directive, Formal Safety Assessment  should be used to the extent possible in any rule-making process;
Shifting emphasis onto people;
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Objectives of the Organization in the 21st Century, are as follows:
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Contd…..
Developing a safety culture & environmental conscience;
Avoiding excessive regulation;
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Promoting efforts to prevent & suppress unlawful acts which threaten the security of ships, the safety of those on board and the environment (in particular, terrorism at sea, piracy & armed robbery against ships, illicit drug trafficking, illegal migration by sea and stowaway cases).
……….21st Century
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Carriage of Dangerous Goods, Solid Cargoes and Containers (DSC)
Fire Protection (FP)
Safety of Navigation (NAV)
Stability and Load Lines and Fishing Vessels Safety (SLF)
Standards of Training and Watch keeping (STW)
Flag State Implementation (FSI)
IMO conventions
The majority of conventions adopted under the auspices of IMO fall into three main categories:
The first group is concerned with maritime safety;
The second with the prevention of marine pollution; and
The third with liability and compensation, especially in relation to damage caused by pollution.
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Contd…..
There are also a number of other conventions dealing with facilitation, tonnage measurement, unlawful acts against shipping and salvage, etc.
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Explicit Acceptance; and
Explicit Acceptance
The normal procedure for adopting amendments to an international treaty is by means of "explicit acceptance." This means that the amendments enter into force so many months after being accepted by a specified number of Parties to the original Convention. The number can be as high as two-thirds and if the parent convention has been accepted by a large number of countries it could mean 80 or more of them having to ratify the amendment before it becomes international law.
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Tacit Acceptance
The tacit acceptance procedure means that amendments - which are nearly always adopted unanimously - enter into force on a set date unless they are specifically rejected by a specified number of countries.
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From Flag State Control
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What are its objectives
Recognition achieved by IACS
Organisation Structure of IACS
Objective
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Objective
To clarify the Role IACS plays in the Shipping Industry together with its Organisational Structure and its relevance to IRS
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Background to formation of IACS
Classification Society Rules have been in a constant state of evolution and development, in some cases over 200 years.
These Rules have traditionally addressed hull structures, essential engineering and their control systems
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Background to formation of IACS
At the turn of the last century, when various National Administrations first contemplated statutory legislation concerning the safety of life at sea, classification rules for these fundamental items of ship were already well established
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This helped the Administrations to concentrate on safety matters, conditions of load line, navigation, etc., rather than the strength of the ship and machinery
Background to formation of IACS
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The first International Convention - Load Line Convention, 1930 specified that a ship was considered to meet the strength requirements provided it met the requirements of a Classification Society recognised by the Administration
Background to formation of IACS
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Article 9 of the Load Line Convention, 1930, required that Classification Societies recognised by the Administrations “should confer from time to time ….with a view to securing as much uniformity as possible in the application of the standards of strength on which freeboard is based……”
Background to formation of IACS
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It would not be wrong to say that IACS can trace its origin to Article 9 of the Load Line Convention, 1930
Shipping Industry also was looking forward to one body with which it could interact instead of various Classification Societies
Background to formation of IACS
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As per the requirements of Load Line Convention, first conference of Classification Societies was hosted by RINA in 1939 and attended by ABS, BV, DnV, GL, LRS and NKK
The next conference was hosted by BV in 1955, followed by LRS in 1959, ABS in 1965 and DnV in 1968
Background to formation of IACS
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In the meeting held in Oslo in 1968, it was decided to form IACS
In 1957, a Working Group was established to produce the First UR 1 regarding structural steels
IACS was formed on 11 Sep. 1968 at Hamburg with GL nominee being the First Chairman
Background to formation of IACS
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Chairmanship of IACS is on rotation basis (now every year and previously every two years)
This meant that the secretariat kept moving with the Chairmanship. To overcome this problem, permanent secretariat was set up at London on 1 July 1992
Background to formation of IACS
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Objectives of IACS
To promote improvement of standards of safety at sea and prevention of pollution of the marine environment
To consult & cooperate with relevant international & maritime organizations
To maintain close cooperation with the world’s maritime industries
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Recognition of IACS
IACS is the only non-governmental organization having CONSULTATIVE status at IMO
Various Shipping Industry forums like INTERTANKO, ICS, OCIMF, Underwriters, etc. deal with classification societies through IACS
Is member of various ISO working groups
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Over 90 per cent of the world tonnage is classed with IACS member Societies
Recognition of IACS
Responsibilities of Council
Council is Supreme Policy Making body of the IACS and only Member Societies are represented
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Responsibilities of General Policy Group (GPG)
GPG is responsible for developing and implementing actions to give effect to the Policies decided by the Council
Allocation and monitoring of work of Working Parties
Only Member Societies are represented
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Responsibilities of Permanent Secretary
Heads the Secretariat and co-ordinates all activities in consultation with the Chairman
Maintenance of all records
Responsible for conduct of audits towards certification of societies for compliance with IACS QSCS
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Members only
(there were associates member & probationary associates member were also earlier)
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GT classed
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Practically all the Maritime Administrations have authorised Classification Societies to carry out Surveys/Certification on their behalf subject to some controls
The model agreements are given in IMO Resolution A 739(18)
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GOI has recognised seven societies as RO so far:
ABS,
BV,
DNV,
LRS,
GL,