Relevance:
India supports UAE’s proposal to include digitization in International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Strategic Plan during the ongoing session of Council IMO.
About IMO:
- Established: 1948 (1st meet – 1959)
- A Specialized agency of United Nations.
- Headquarters: London, UK.
- IMO Assembly –
- Time: Every 2 years
- Adopts the Strategic Plan for the Organization, which covers a 6-year period.
- Members: 175 Member States and 3 Associate Members
- Objective – To improve safety and security of international shipping and to prevent pollution from ships.
- Functions – It involves in legal matters, including liability and compensation issues and facilitation of international maritime traffic.
- No enforcement mechanism to implement the policies of the IMO.
- 5 Committees –
- Technical Co-operation Committee
- Maritime Safety Committee (MSC)
- Marine Environmental Protection Committee (MEPC)
- Legal Committee
- Facilitation Committee
- Important Treaties/Conventions –
- International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS)
- International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification, and Watch keeping for Seafarers (STCW)
- International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL)
Reference: Livemint
