The IMO Sub-Committee on Implementation of IMO Instruments held its 4th Session from 25 - 29 September 2017. The following groups met during the meeting.

• Working Group 1 (WG1) - Discussed lessons learnt and safety issues identified from the analysis of marine safety investigation reports.
• Working Group 2 (WG2) - Looked at measures to harmonise Port State Control (PSC) activities and procedures worldwide, and identified issues relating to the implementation of IMO instruments from the analysis of Port State Control data.
• Drafting Group 1 (DG1) - Looked at Survey Guidelines under the Harmonised System of Survey and Certification (HSSC)
• Joint Working Group (JWG) - Studied the recommendations of the third session of the Joint Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations/IMO Ad Hoc Working Group on illegal unreported and fishing and related matters

The main outcomes are reported below.

Lessons learnt and safety issues identified from the analysis of marine safety investigation reports 

Upon receipt of WG1's report, the sub-committee approved it in general, and in particular:

1. approved changes to the text of casualty analysis for release to the public on the Global Integrated Shipping Integrated System (GISIS) Marine Casualties and Incidents module;
2. agreed bringing observations regarding the quality of marine investigation reports to the attention of Administrations by means of a circular;
3. approved draft text of Lessons Learnt from Marine Casualties and their release on the IMO website;
4. invited the HTW sub-committee to advise Member States that they should make use of the report on GISIS Mass Casualty Incident module for the benefit of seafarer’s education and training;
5. noted that the current casualty analysis procedure will remain in force until the new one is duly endorsed by the sub-committee;
6. noted the outcome in IACS’ review using data from GISIS Ship and Company Particulars and Mass Casualty Incident modules for conducting FSA Studies.

Measures to harmonise Port State Control (PSC) activities and procedures worldwide

A wide-ranging discussion took place in Plenary covering items such as: the report of the correspondence group set up by III 3;  guidelines for Port State Control officers on certification of seafarers hours of rest and manning;  guidance on provision of documentary evidence required under the  Standard of Training Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) Convention;  fire integrity of certain bulkheads;  performance of Flag Administrations and ROs;  transparency and harmonisation of PSC information as well as the analysis of PSC activities, practices and statistics.

Following discussion in Plenary WG2 was established and set to work.  The Group submitted its report which was generally approved by the sub-committee, and in particular:

1. approved text intended to provide Port State Control officers with clear guidance and agreed to the revised text of the draft Guidelines for Port State Control officers on certification of seafarers, manning and hours of rest;
2. agreed a draft revision of resolution A.1053(27) on the Procedures for Port State Control 2011, with a view to future adoption;
3. agreed draft text for the action to be taken by Port States on the required update of Electronic Chart Display and Information System.

Updated survey guidelines under HSSC, non-exhaustive list of obligations and review of administration/ROs model agreement    

The Drafting Group following terms of reference produced a detailed report for the Sub-Committee’s approval. In particular, the Sub-Committee:

1. agreed to a new draft survey item to address the instruction of MEPC 71 introducing provisions for validating the compliance of individual Ballast Water Management Systems, with the applicable regulation of the BWM convention at the commissioning stage;
2. endorsed DG1s view that this should not apply to vessels which have already been subject to an initial survey prior to the entry into force of the proposed guidelines;
3. invited MEPC to consider whether detailed aspects regarding validation compliance of individual BWMS with regulation D-2 of the BWMC in conjunction with their commissioning need to be addressed;
4. invited MEPC to consider whether a review of the Survey Guidelines under the HSSC in relation to the BWMC may be required in light of the 2016 Guidelines (G8);

Outcome of the third session of the joint FAO/IMO ad hoc Working Group on Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing and related matters 

Following a discussion in Plenary, a Joint Working Group, on the recommendations of the third session of the Joint FAO/IMO Ad Hoc Working Group on IUU Fishing and Related Matters, was set up and various recommendations were made to the meeting which were carried forward.