London hosted last 15-17 September the 35th meeting of the Advisory Committee (AC) of the International Mobile Satellite Organisation (IMSO).
A highlight on the agenda was continuation of discussions regarding the formula for financing the system for long range identification and tracking of ships (LRIT). The opening of global maritime distress and safety system (GMDSS) provision to a second operator (Iridium) other than the historic operator (Inmarsat) likewise occupied the meeting’s attention.
Both topics will be focused on by the Assembly, IMSO’s top body, whose 23rd session will be held in London this coming 25-28 November.
Regarding the LRIT formula, three proposals were under discussion, from the organisation’s director general, Vanuatu and the United Kingdom, which defends the introduction of two weighting factors (number of ships and number of flags), eventually adopted by the Committee. This proposal was viewed with approval by representatives from the European Union (EU), which manages the biggest LRIT system database, coordinated by the Lisbon-based European Maritime Security Agency (EMSA).
The fact that the three top-ranking directorate members (the director general, deputy director general and the head of administration, finance and conferences) will step down from office or retire at almost the same time is likewise a matter of concern for the parties, which at the next Assembly should elect the future director general from among five candidates put forward by Germany, France, Italy, Romania and Bangladesh.
The IMSO AC will next meet in at a still underdetermined date in May or June 2015, to give the new director general time to prepare for the position.
