Context:
India was re-elected to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council for two years.
- India’s re-election falls under the Category of 10 states with “the largest interest in international seaborne trade”.
About International Maritime Organisation:
- A specialized agency of the United Nations established in 1948.
- Responsible for the safety and security of shipping and preventing marine and atmospheric pollution by ships.
- Consists of an Assembly, a Council, and 5 main Committees along with subcommittees.
- Members – 175 members and 3 associate members (India is Member)
- Executive Organ – IMO Council
Role of IMO:
- Environmental protection –
- MARPOL Convention – covers pollution of the marine environment by ships from operational or accidental causes.
- Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA) – A special area designated by the IMO for extra protection due to its importance for ecological, socioeconomic, or scientific reasons.
- London Convention – Overseen by IMO, extends ocean protection beyond ships by regulating sea waste dumping, climate change mitigation like carbon capture and storage, etc.
- Maritime safety and security –
- SOLAS Convention – It sets standards for ship construction, equipment, and operation to ensure the safety of life at sea.
- Stopping piracy and armed robbery – globally integrated shipping information system and Djibouti code of conduct are some of the steps taken by IMO.
- Checking drug smuggling – IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) works on matters related to the prevention and suppression of drug smuggling on ships.
Source: The Hindu
Previous Year Question
With reference to ‘Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC)’, consider the following statements:
1. It was established very recently in response to incidents of piracy and accidents of oil spills.
2. It is an alliance meant for maritime security only.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2015 Prelims]
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: (d)
