The Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) is beefing up preparations for the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Member State Audit Scheme (IMSAS) scheduled for 2021.
IMSAS is a mandatory audit intended to check the Philippines’ compliance with and implementation of IMO agreements.
To ensure the maritime industry’s preparedness for the audit, Marina drafted a bill to ensure the country’s implementation of five IMO conventions, specifically, the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL), Convention on International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS), International Convention on Load Lines (CLL), and International Convention on the Tonnage Measurement of Ships.
“The proposed bill is a proof of Marina’s proactive approach to the issues confronting the Philippine maritime industry. With this, we hope to boost our collaboration with the legislators in passing laws that will enable the Philippines to effectively implement IMO conventions,” Marina administrator Rey Leonardo Guerrero said in a statement.
Marina noted that the proposed bill has been aligned with House Bill (HB) No. 456, which also covers the implementation of the same five IMO Conventions. Supported by stakeholders, HB 456 is being deliberated in the Lower House Committee on Transportation.
Marina said its proposed bill will support the implementation of HB 456 once it is passed into law.
Marina legal service director Atty. Maximo Bañares, Jr. explained that the proposed bill aims to address the gaps in the mandates of maritime agencies.
“Our proposed bill will ensure proper delegation of authorities among maritime agencies by determining which should be given full and complete effect to a particular IMO convention,” Bañares said.
As part of its preparations for IMSAS, Marina also conducted a mock audit of the country’s compliance with IMO agreements in the second quarter of 2018. Corrective action plans for the local maritime industry were developed based on the results of the mock audit.
