FRONT PAGE STORY


MAIN HEAD
G8 summit addresses maritime security

The G8 summit, with leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, UK, US and European Union, has addressed issues of maritime security at its recent meeting in Alberta, Canada, June 26-27. 

The G8 is the only international organisation with any real clout to implement and enforce regulation. 

Agreements made relevant to the maritime industry are as follows:

To work towards agreement by June 2003 on minimum standards for issuance of seafarers identity documents, for adoption at the International Labour Organisation 

To work "expeditiously" to develop and implement an improved global container security regime to identify and examine high risk containers and ensure their in-transit integrity

To develop pilot projects that model an integrated container security regime

To implement "expeditiously, by 2005 wherever possible" common standards for electronic customs reporting 

To begin work "expeditiously" within the G8 and World Customs Organisation to require advance electronic information about containers, including their location and transit, as early as possible in the trade chain. 

To support the acceleration of the date of installation of automatic identification systems (AIS) on certain ships to December 2004

The support the requirement of mandatory ship security plans and ship security officers onboard ships by July 2004

To support mandatory port facility security plans and port facility security assessments. 

G8 will review progress every six months, and G8 experts will promote "policy coherence and co-ordination" within the International Maritime Organisation, World Customs Organisation and International Labour Organisation. 

The Government of the Russian Federation, alone, reserved the right to extend the time frame for installation of AIS on "certain ships" and development of port facility security plans and assessments to the year 2006. 


SUBHEAD
European Union plans

Meanwhile, the European Union has reached its own agreements on requirements for automatic identification systems. 

The stated ambition is to establish a monitoring, control and information system for shipping, to enhance safety and efficiency of traffic and prevent pollution by ships. 

The directive covers ships of over 300gt, except for warships, recreational craft, fishing vessels under 45 metres and ships used for non-commercial public service. 

Ships must notify their arrival prior to entry into European Community ports. 

Ships entering the "area of competence" of a coastal station with a mandatory reporting system approved by IMO must participate in it.

Ships entering the "area of competence" of a vessel traffic service must comply with any IMO-approved ship routing systems, and must use the vessel traffic services. 

Any ship calling at a port in the Community must be fitted with an Automatic Identification System to IMO standards. Any ship calling at a port must be fitted with a voyage data recorder. 

Shippers are under obligations to ensure that accurate detailed information about the cargo is sent to the shipmaster and this corresponds to any dangerous goods onboard. 

Various information about the ship and cargo must be notified to the authorities of the port of departure, if in the European Community. Member states must co-operate to ensure interoperability of their national information systems to exchange information about them.

"Appropriate" measures must be taken for ships posing a hazard to shipping, with a view to preventing or reducing their risk to safety or the environment. 

Co-operation must be arranged between the European Commission and Member States with a view to future development of the European monitoring, control and information system for maritime traffic, covering development of links between coastal stations and port authorities and extension of the coverage of the European monitoring system. 

Efforts must be made to improve management of information about shipping, one of the tasks of the European Maritime Safety Agency. 

SUBHEAD
Relevant websites
The G8 announcement report http://www.g8.gc.ca/kan_docs/tranterror-e.asp,
The European Union agreement http://europa.eu.int/scadplus/leg/en/lvb/l24243.htm