The International Maritime Organization (IMO) recently agreed to include maritime corruption as a regular work item on its agenda, a move welcomed by the industry.
The Maritime Anti-Corruption Network (MACN) in a release April 15 said that a paper on maritime corruption was presented by the Marshall Islands with many countries and international organizations, endorsing a proposal to develop guidelines on implementing anti-corruption practices and procedures at the 43rd meeting of the Facilitation Committee (FAL).
“The IMO will now work on a Guidance document to address maritime corruption. This is expected to be completed by 2021,” MACN said.
MACN’s director, Cecilia Müller Torbrand, commented: “It is important for the industry to have maritime corruption recognized as a problem by the IMO in its role as the international regulator for shipping.”
“Issues such as the wide discretionary powers held by some port officials have the potential to impact all ship owners, managers, and operators. The requirements for port entry too often lack transparency, are deliberately misapplied, or widely interpreted for private gain,” she added.
Similarly, the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) released a statement of support April 15 for the IMO’s decision.
Guy Platten, ICS secretary general, said: “We are pleased that the IMO will be working to address this important issue and we will support the member states in stamping out this scourge.”
The ICS co-sponsored the submission of the paper to the 42nd meeting of the IMO FAL Committee in June 2018. Other sponsors were Liberia, Marshall Islands, Norway, United Kingdom, United States, Vanuatu, IAPH, BIMCO, ICHCA, IMPA, IFSMA, INTERTANKO, InterManager, IPTA, IHMA, IBIA, FONASBA, ITF and NI.
According to the MACN’s anonymous reporting mechanism, which was set up in 2011, there have been over 28,000 incidents already reported, confirming that this is a widespread issue, said ICS.
Chris Oliver, ICS nautical director, said: “We are all aware that corruption in the maritime sector exists in many areas and as we have heard from the document introduction, corrupt practices, particularly with respect to the ship/shore interface, can lead to interruptions to normal operations, can incur higher operational costs for the shipowner and can have an impact on seafarers’ well-being.”
“In addition to the potential consequences for ship owners and seafarers, it should not be underestimated the impact it can have on trade, investment, social and economic development of ports, local communities and even Member States themselves,” he added.
Danish Shipping also lauded the support for this initiative.
Said Anne H. Steffensen, director general and CEO at Danish Shipping: “Putting maritime anti-corruption on the IMO agenda marks a significant milestone for the maritime community as a whole.”
The industry is hoping that having the issue of maritime corruption included in the work of the FAL Committee, particularly in terms of reviewing and revising the Annex to the FAL Convention, will result in the development of IMO guidelines or an inclusive IMO Code of Best Practice to implement anti-corruption practices and procedures, ICS said.
Any such action would align IMO regulations and requirements for the maritime industry with the United Nations Convention against Corruption, which was adopted in 2003 and entered into force in 2005, and which currently has 186 parties, it added.
Photo: Public Domain
