The 20th Assembly of the International Mobile Satellite Organisation (IMSO) was held last 29 September-3 October in La Valetta, Malta, chaired by William Azuh of Nigeria.
One of the Assembly's main results consisted of approving amendments to the IMSO Convention, following the base reports made by the United States of America. The amendments aim to complement and make clear the amendments adopted at the 18th Assembly, with a view to enhancing the IMSO's powers. The amendments will be provisionally applicable from 6 October 2008 on; they should only formally take effect per compliance with the rules envisaged in article 18 of the Convention.
The amendments' approval was debated in a drafting group set up for that purpose by the Assembly. They are subject to its final approval, on the understanding that same will be in conformity with the previous amendments approved in 2006 at the 18th IMSO Assembly of Parties. The USA thus withdrew, by means of a written note, the reservations it manifested concerning the amendments, namely at the last two Assemblies.
Besides the amendments, the Assembly agenda focused on discussing the entrance of new operators under the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) and the operation and financing of the Long Range Identification and Tracking of Ships (LRIT) System. Regarding GMDSS, the text of the future Public Services Reference Agreement was approved and will be signed by the new GMDSS operators, so recognised by the Public Services Committee of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) per its Resolution A.1001(25). The IMSO director has been authorised to negotiate and sign the Public Services agreement in the organisation’s name.
Regarding LRIT, the respective business plan was approved, along with the rates IMSO will apply in 2008 and 2009, and the criteria for hearings and revision of the rates to apply to the LRIT data centres, on an interim basis until the next Assembly; they will then be developed by the Advisory Committee. The director should inform the next IMO Maritime Security Committee (MSC85) of these decisions. To that end, the monetary contribution already effected by Australia, Canada, Chile, Spain, Turkey and the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) was also noted.
The Assembly agreed on criteria for future elaboration of the organisation's budget; it should have separate budgets for GMDSS and LRIT, as well as distinct accounting and bank accounts for both services.
Also approved was revision of the Advisory Committee's reference terms and composition. It will continue, as previously, to be composed of 29 Parties; Portugal has remained as an observer. The Assembly decided that the Committee should be formed by a minimum of 15 States and that any Party, should it so desire, can take part in meetings of the Advisory Committee as an observer. Italy offered to host a meeting of this Committee in 2009.
The Assembly also considered the Advisory Committee's proposal to change the title of the IMSO director to ''director general'' and to designate Jerzy Vonau of Poland, who was IMSO director from 1999 to 2007, with the title of ''director general emeritus'', for services rendered and dedication to the organisation. It was agreed that neither of these decisions would have financial implications for the IMSO.
The texts of the memorandums of understanding (MoUs) to be signed by ITSO and the Eutelsat and ITSO satellite organisations (tripartite MoU) were approved, and also with the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) and the International Organization for Standardisation (ISO). All these memoranda envisage that the organisations referred to may attend IMSO Assemblies as observers and on a reciprocal basis.
The next Assembly of Parties should be held in the last quarter of 2010 in London.
