The 103rd session of the Maritime Safety Committee was held remotely at the headquarters of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in London from 5 till 14 May, 2021. That was the second time that MSC Session took place remotely on the KUDO online platform.
As a representative of the International Association of Maritime Universities (IAMU), D.S. Zhukov, a senior lecturer of the Ship Control Department took part in the work of the 103rd Session of the IMO MSC.
Kitack Lim, Secretary–General of International Maritime Organization (IMO) made an opening speech before the start of the session. In his speech, the IMO’s Secretary General drew attention to the negative impact of the COVID 19 pandemic on trade, maritime transport and seafarers in particular.
“Seafarers: at the core of shipping’s future” is the motto of this year’s theme. Such a topic provides a unique opportunity to send a message to the global community in regard to protecting the rights of seafarers and increasing attention to their unique role as key workers in world trade. Kitak Lim also stressed the importance of security issues, especially in the Gulf of Guinea region. With regard to the MASS vessels (Maritime Autonomous Surface Vessels), it was noted that there was a delay due to the pandemic by at least a year in the development of issues related to such vessels.
During the meetings of the 103rd Session the following issues were considered:
1. Adoption of the agenda; report on credentials
2. Decisions of other IMO bodies
3. Consideration and adoption of amendments to mandatory instruments
4. Capacity-building for the implementation of new measures
5 .Regulatory scoping exercise for the use of Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS)
6. Development of further measures to enhance the safety of ships relating to the use of fuel oil
7. Goal-based new ship construction standards
8. Measures to improve domestic ferry safety
9. Measures to enhance maritime security
10. Piracy and armed robbery against ships
11. Unsafe mixed migration by sea
12 Formal safety assessment
13 .Human element, training and watchkeeping (urgent matters emanating from the seventh session of the Sub-Committee)
14. Navigation, communications and search and rescue
15. Ship design and construction
16 .Ship systems and equipment
17 .Application of the Committee’s method of work
18. Work programme
19. Election of Chair and Vice-Chair for 2021
20. Any other business
21. Consideration of the report of the Committee on its 103rd session
During the 103rd Session of the MSC, there were the following working groups:
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Working Group (WG1) MASS
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Working Group (WG2) Piracy
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Working Group (WG3) Fuel oil safety
During the work of the Session, more than 100 official documents developed by the secretariat and the participating countries were processed.
Ms. Mayte Medina was elected as the new Chairman of the IMO MSC while Mr. Mozas was elected as Deputy Chairman.
The full text of the speeches of Kitak Lim, the IMO Secretary–General and the working documents of the 103 Sessions can be found on the official website of the organization www.imo.org.
