Context: India was re-elected to the IMO Council (International Maritime OrganisationI) with the highest votes and the council term will be for the biennium 2024-25.
India Re-elected to IMO Council
- The highest votes indicate the government’s determination to strengthen India’s varied contributions to international maritime operations. India’s re-election falls under 10 states with “the largest interest in international seaborne trade.
- The Maritime India Vision 2030 to enhance representation at IMO, India aims to appoint permanent representatives at IMO London.
Also Read: Global Maritime India Summit 2023; PM Unveil Blueprint For Maritime Blue Economy
Maritime India Vision 2030
- It is a blueprint to ensure coordinated and accelerated growth of India’s maritime sector in the next decade
- MIV 2030 identifies over 150 initiatives across 10 themes covering all the facets of the Indian maritime sector and is a comprehensive effort to define and meet national maritime objectives.
- MIV 2030 envisions an overall investment of INR 3,00,000-3,50,000 Cr across ports, shipping, and inland waterways categories.
- This vision roadmap is estimated to help unlock INR 20,000+ Cr worth of potential annual revenue for Indian Ports.
- Further, it is expected to create an additional -20,00,000+ jobs (direct and non-direct) in the Indian maritime sector.
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About IMO
Genesis: The International Maritime Organisation is the United Nations specialized agency responsible for the safety and security of shipping and preventing marine and atmospheric pollution by ships.
History: In 1948 an international conference in Geneva adopted a convention formally establishing IMO (the original name was the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization, or IMCO, but the name was changed in 1982 to IMO).
- The IMO Convention entered into force in 1958 and the new Organization met for the first time the following year.
Members: IMO currently has 175 Member States and three Associate Members. India has been one of the earliest members of the IMO, having ratified its Convention and joined it as a member state in 1959.
Composition:
- The Organization consists of an Assembly, a Council, five main Committees, and a number of Sub-Committees that support the work of the main technical committees.
- Assembly
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- This is the highest Governing Body of the Organization.
- It consists of all Member States and meets once every two years in regular sessions, but may also meet in an extraordinary session if necessary.
The 33rd Assembly elected the following States to be Members of the IMO Council for the 2024-2025 biennium:
Category (a): 10 States with the largest interest in providing international shipping services:
- China, Greece, Italy, Japan, Liberia, Norway, Panama, the Republic of Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States
Category (b): 10 States with the largest interest in international seaborne trade:
Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, India, Kingdom of the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and the United Arab Emirates
Category (c): 20 States not elected under (a) or (b) above, which have special interests in maritime transport or navigation and whose election to the IMO Council will ensure the representation of all major geographic areas of the world:
Bahamas, Bangladesh, Chile, Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, Peru, the Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and Türkiye. |
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- The Assembly is responsible for approving the work program, voting on the budget, and determining the financial arrangements of the Organization. The Assembly also elects the Council.
- The IMO Council is elected by the Assembly for two-year terms beginning after each regular session of the Assembly.
- The IMO Council is the Executive Organ of IMO and is responsible for supervising the work of the Organization.
- The Council performs all the functions of the Assembly (Between sessions of the Assembly), except for making recommendations to Governments on maritime safety and pollution prevention.
- Recently, IMO has adopted amendments to expand the size of the IMO Council to 52.
- Other functions of the IMO Council
- Co-ordinate the activities of the organs of the Organization;
- Consider the draft work program and budget estimates of the Organization and submit them to the Assembly;
- Receive reports and proposals of the Committees and other organs and submit them to the Assembly and Member States, with comments and recommendations as appropriate;
- Appoint the Secretary-General, subject to the approval of the Assembly;
- Enter into agreements or arrangements concerning the relationship of the Organization with other organizations, subject to approval by the Assembly.
Role Of IMO:
- To promote safe, secure, environmentally sound, efficient, and sustainable shipping through cooperation.
Key IMO Conventions:
- International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS, 1974, as amended.
- International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as modified by the Protocol of 1978 relating thereto and by the Protocol of 1997 (MARPOL)
- International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers ( STCW) as amended, including the 1995 and 2010 Manila Amendments
Source: PIB