IMO Instruments Sub-Committee 10th session (III 10) Summary Report

The 10th session of the Implementation of IMO Instruments Sub-Committee (III 10) was held in person in London (22 – 26 July 2024) with hybrid facilities allowing remote participation.

Notwithstanding the usual agenda of III (safety investigation reports, PSC procedures, survey guidelines), the General Secretary urged the participants to deliver a guidance to assist in the implementation of the Cape Town Agreement. Political efforts have intensified to reach the decisive criteria for an early entry into force of the Agreement before the UN Ocean Conference (June 2025). The guidance would be helpful in encouraging more ratifications and guiding early implementation if any Member State wishes so. This may unlock the ratification process of the long-awaited Torremolinos Convention concerning the safety of fishing vessels (adopted in 1977). By pushing forward on this emblematic item, the III 10 only progressed on many other topics.

III 10 finalized the following:

• interim guidance to assist competent authorities in the implementation of the Cape Town Agreement of 2012 for further consideration to MSC 109
• amendments to appendices of the Procedures for PSC, 2023 in relation to the detention of ship
• outcomes of analysis of consolidated audit summary reports (CASRs)

III 10 progressed the following matters:

• the draft PSC Guidelines, with a view to including as the new appendix in the future PSC resolution to be finalized at III 11 and adopted in a consolidation form by Assembly 34
• the draft guidance on assessments and applications of remote surveys, ISM Code audits and ISPS Code verifications (an associated MSC-MEPC circular will be issued)
• the draft MSC.1 circular on Recommendations to national Administrations to prevent collisions with fishing vessels, with a view to submitting it to MSC 109 for its consideration and approval
• draft revision of the Model Course 3.09 on Port State Control (MSC-MEPC.2/Circ.15/Rev.2)

III 10 postponed the following matters:

• amendments to the 2023 non-exhaustive list of obligations under instruments relevant to the IMO instruments implementation Code (resolution A.1187(33))