RECALLING Article 15(j) of the Convention on the International
Maritime Organization concerning the functions of the Assembly in
relation to regulations and guidelines concerning maritime safety,
the prevention and control of marine pollution from ships and other
matters concerning the effect of shipping on the marine environment,
RECALLING ALSO resolution A.962(23) by
which it adopted the IMO Guidelines on Ship Recycling with the aim
of providing guidance for the involved stakeholders as to best practice,
which takes into account the ship recycling process throughout the
life cycle of the ship,
NOTING the roles of the International Labour Organization
and the Basel Convention on matters related to ship recycling,
RECOGNIZING the urgent need for the Organization to contribute
to the development of an effective solution to the issue of ship recycling
that will minimize, in the most effective, efficient and sustainable
way, the environmental, occupational, health and safety risks related
to ship recycling, taking into account at the same time the particular
characteristics of world maritime transport and the need for securing
the smooth withdrawal of ships that have reached the end of their
operating lives,
CONSIDERING that the above-mentioned objective may best
be achieved by establishing a new IMO instrument with a view to providing
legally binding and globally applicable ship recycling regulations
for international shipping and for ship recycling facilities,
RECOGNIZING ALSO the significant progress made by the Marine
Environment Protection Committee, at its fifty-third session, in considering
the development of the appropriate mandatory requirements on ship
recycling, including a preliminary draft of a possible structure for
the new instrument on ship recycling,
HAVING CONSIDERED the recommendation made by the Marine
Environment Protection Committee at its fifty-third session,
1 REQUESTS the Marine Environment Protection Committee
to develop a new legally binding instrument on ship recycling that
would provide regulations for:
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.1 the design, construction, operation and preparation
of ships so as to facilitate safe and environmentally sound recycling,
without compromising the safety and operational efficiency of ships;
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.2 the operation of ship recycling facilities
in a safe and environmentally sound manner; and
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.3 the establishment of an appropriate enforcement
mechanism for ship recycling (certification/reporting requirements);
2 REQUESTS ALSO the Marine Environment Protection
Committee to work towards completion of the above-mentioned draft
instrument in time for its consideration and adoption in the biennium
2008-2009;
3 REQUESTS FURTHER the Marine Environment Protection
Committee to continue co-operating with the International Labour Organization
and the appropriate bodies of the Basel Convention in this field with
the aim of avoiding duplication of work and overlapping of responsibilities
and competencies between the three Organizations;
4 URGES Governments and all involved stakeholders,
in the meantime, to apply the IMO Guidelines on Ship Recycling without
delay.