IMO Adopts Comprehensive Maritime Security Measures - Summary

December 2002

Amendments to the 1974 Safety of Life at Sea Convention (SOLAS) designed to strengthen maritime security have been adopted following a Diplomatic Conference of contracting states last week. The amendments will be deemed to be accepted on 1 January 2004* and become effective on 1 July 2004.

The principal amendment is the adoption of detailed security-related requirements for governments, port authorities and shipping companies in the new International Ship and Port Facility security Code (ISPS Code). 

Other SOLAS amendments include:

• Acceleration of the timetable for fitting Automatic Identification Systems (AIS)

• Permanent marking of ship identification numbers 

• Ships to be issued with a Continuous Synopsis Record intended to provide an on-board history of the ship

• Ships to be fitted with a ship security alert system  

Among the other related resolutions adopted by the Conference:

• An invitation to the International Labour Organisation to continue development of a Seafarers' Identity Document as a matter of urgency

• Governments urged to take action to effect implementation of provisions for long-range identification and tracking of ships and to encourage the ships they flag to take measures to be able to respond automatically to Inmarsat C polling or to other available systems

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* in the absence of objections by 1/3 of SOLAS contracting states representing at least 50% of the world's gross tonnage