IMO Matters

The International Maritime Organization (IMO), a specialised agency of the United Nations, develops and maintains a comprehensive regulatory framework for international shipping. This covers safety and security, marine pollution, legal matters, technical co-operation and maritime traffic rules.
Singapore is one of the 170 member states of the IMO.

The Maritime Safety Committee (MSC)

The functions of the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) are to “consider any matter within the scope of the Organization concerned with aids to navigation, construction and equipment of vessels, manning from a safety standpoint, rules for the prevention of collisions, handling of dangerous cargoes, maritime safety procedures and requirements, hydrographic information, log-books and navigational records, marine casualty investigations, salvage and rescue and any other matters directly affecting maritime safety”.
Reports of MSC meetings are available for download. Also available are adopted resolutions, as well as selected circulars approved by the MSC.
 

The Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC)

The Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) is empowered to consider any matter within the scope of the Organization concerned with prevention and control of pollution from ships. In particular it is concerned with the adoption and amendment of conventions and other regulations and measures to ensure their enforcement.
Reports of MEPC meetings are available for download. Also available are adopted resolutions, as well as selected circulars approved by the MEPC.

The Sub-Committees

The MSC and MEPC are assisted in their work by nine technical sub-committees. These are:

• Bulk liquids and gases (BLG)
• Radiocommunications and Search and Rescue (COMSAR)
• Ship design and equipment (DE)
• Dangerous goods, solid cargoes and containers (DSC)
• Fire protection (FP)
• Flag state implementation (FSI)
• Safety of Navigation (NAV)
• Stability and load lines and on fishing vessels safety (SLF)
• Standards of training and watchkeeping (STW)
  

Reports of sub-committee meetings are available for download.