IMO: Continued Focus on Efficiency

At the 110th session of the IMO Council, the 2014-2015 budget was subject to intensive debate. A crucial issue was the prioritisation and effectivisation of the IMO tasks, including the restructuring of the Sub-Committees.
The IMO Council intensively debated Secretary-General Koji Sekimizu’s proposal for the 2014-2015 budget. There was general support of the initiatives launched by the Secretary-General to bring about effectivisation and create savings. On the basis of the debate, the Secretary-General will present a new budget proposal to the extra-ordinary Council meeting to be held in November.
The Council also stressed the importance of continued sharp focus on the prioritisation of the IMO tasks. Therefore, the work developing a prioritisation model is to be continued in a working group that is to meet in early 2014. The Council also noted the changes to the structure of the Sub-Committees that had been decided by the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) which will, inter alia, result in a reduction of the number of Sub-Committees from nine to seven. The changes will enter into force in January 2014.
Mandatory member State audits
The 40 members of the Council, including Denmark, also considered the mandatory member State audit scheme, where the lines are almost drawn up. Together with other countries, Denmark urged the member States to volunteer for the audit before the mandatory scheme enters into force in 2016.
Finally, a number of other issues were considered, including:
• Administrative reductions.
• Piracy.
• World Maritime Day.
• International Maritime Prize 2012.
• IMO Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea.
Finally, the Council thanked the retiring Chairman of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC), Mr. Andreas Chrysostomou from Cyprus, for his excellent work as Chairman of the Committee during the last 11 years.

DMA, July 24, 2013