Through resolution A.1043(27), the 27th Assembly in November 2011 adopted a process of periodic review of administrative requirements in mandatory instruments, and acknowledged that releasing resources from administrative tasks for Administrations and industry alike, contributes to the Organisation’s goals of efficient regulation of safety and security of shipping and the prevention and control of pollution by ships.
The Ad Hoc Steering Group for Reducing Administrative Requirements (SG-RAR), established by the Council at its 108th session in 2012, evaluated the responses received in the public consultation and developed recommendations on how to alleviate administrative burdens that have become unnecessary, disproportionate or even obsolete. The recommendations were presented to the 113rd Session of the Council on December 3rd, 2014.
Finally the IMO has published its report into the conclusions of the public consultation that has been undertaken on the reduction of administrative burdens in maritime regulations.
The publication (which you can download in full below) presents the main findings and conclusions of the first-ever public consultation undertaken by the IMO on administrative burdens associated with mandatory IMO instruments, i.e. conventions, codes and other instruments.
In order to encourage the widest possible participation by everyone with an interest in or relevant knowledge of or work experience with IMO regulations, the consultation
was launched under the banner “Have your say!” on a dedicated webpage. The webpage was active over a period of six months (May-October 2013) and responses could be given either on behalf of an organization or in a personal capacity.
All responses were processed and analysed by the Steering Group for Reducing Administrative Requirements (SG-RAR) supported by the IMO Secretariat. The Steering Group was established by IMO’s Council and its tasks were to review responses from the consultation and develop recommendations for consideration by the Council. Having decided that the outcome of the consultation process should be made available publicly, in the interest of full transparency, the Council approved, in general, the final report, of which this publication is a summary.
The main objective of the consultation was to identify those administrative requirements in mandatory IMO instruments perceived as “unnecessary, disproportionate or obsolete”. These requirements may therefore hinder effective regulatory compliance, making it more complex and difficult, with implications for the efficiency of the daily
operations of shipping. Administrative requirements are, amongst others, obligations to keep records, display information on board the ship, retain seafarer certificates for
inspection, and provide information to authorities or to IMO.
