London hosted last 5-6 March the 19th (extraordinary) Assembly of the International Mobile Satellite Organisation (IMSO), the organisation's top body, which gathers the Parties to the IMSO Convention.
The main agenda point consisted of provisional application to the IMSO Convention of the amendments adopted at the 18th Assembly, with a view to extending its mandate vis-à-vis the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) and the Long Range Identification and Tracking of Ships System (LRIT). The said amendments basically seek to expand IMSO's functions to include the supervision of eventual future providers of satellite services for GMDSS who are so authorised by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), in a similar format to those applied to Inmarsat. Regarding LRIT, the amendments aim to allow IMSO to take on new duties as the co-ordinating body of a system for identifying and tracking ships, which is being developed by the IMO with a view to enhancing the security of maritime transports.
During the discussion the amendments' provisional application was supported by most of the countries; it was thus approved and took effect last 7 March. Some countries, namely Portugal, nevertheless indicated that it would be impossible to provisionally apply the decisions for internal reasons, basically of a legislative nature. Reservations regarding this provisional application were also presented, as there were gaps of a financial and legal nature in the definition of LRIT service, as well as regarding the expansion of GMDSS service, specifically the non-existence of a model public service agreement to be signed by IMSO and the future providers. In this regard the USA presented a proposal seeking to plug the identified gaps. While recognising its merits, the Parties nevertheless deemed it more convenient to analyse same at a later date.
Noteworthy among the remaining agenda points was the presentation on LRIT service and on IMSO's duties as its co-ordinator, which covered the issues of the new service's financing and budget. This led to a lengthy discussion; it will subsequently be presented to the members in a more detailed manner. Likewise examined was a preliminary version of the model public service agreement to be signed with the new GMDSS providers. However, it can only move forward after the revision of Resolution A.888 of the IMO General Assembly and verification of whether the model agreement complies with that Resolution. Also presented were developments concerning the agreements between IMSO and the European Union, the International Hydrographic Organisation (IHO) and the International Radio-Maritime Committee (CIRM).
The next ordinary session of the Assembly should take place in the last quarter of 2008.
