RECALLING Article 15(j) of the Convention of the International
Maritime Organization concerning the functions of the Assembly in
relation to regulations and guidelines concerning maritime safety
and the prevention and control of marine pollution from ships,
RECALLING the Framework and Procedures for the Voluntary
IMO Member State Audit Scheme (hereinafter referred to as the “Audit
Scheme”) adopted through resolution
A.974(24),
RECALLING ALSO the “Code for the implementation of
mandatory IMO instruments” adopted through resolution A.973(24),
NOTING that the Audit Scheme contains references to the
“Code for the implementation of mandatory IMO instruments”,
as appropriate; and that the Code, in addition to providing guidance
for the implementation and enforcement of IMO instruments, forms the
basis of the Audit Scheme, in particular concerning the identification
of the auditable areas,
NOTING ALSO that the “Code for the implementation
of mandatory IMO instruments” adopted through resolution A.973(24) does not include
security-related matters,
NOTING FURTHER that the Framework does not identify obligations
and responsibilities relating to maritime security as being within
the scope of the Audit Scheme,
RECOGNIZING NEVERTHELESS the importance of Maritime Security,
RECOGNIZING ALSO that the relevant security-related regulations
have been adopted only recently, and that time is required for the
necessary quality reviews by Member States to ensure optimum efficiency
of their implementing procedures,
RECOGNIZING FURTHER that obligations and responsibilities
relating to maritime security may be under the responsibility of different
national authorities within Member States,
RECALLING that other safety and environmental protection
responsibilities of Member States are also presently outside the scope
of the Code and the Audit Scheme,
BEING DESIROUS to assist Governments to improve their capabilities
and overall performance in order to comply with the full range of
obligations and responsibilities set out in the IMO instruments to
which they are party,
1 REQUESTS the Maritime Safety Committee and the
Marine Environment Protection Committee to review the future feasibility
of including, within the scope of the Audit Scheme, security-related
and other functions not presently covered, to identify any implications
of broadening the scope of the Audit Scheme in this way and to report
to the Council, as appropriate;
2 REQUESTS the Council to develop suitable provisions
for the possible future inclusion of other safety-, environmental
protection- and security-related issues in the Audit Scheme, taking
into account the experience gained from the implementation of the
Scheme and of any salient safety-, environmental protection- and security-related
issues identified by the Committees;
3 INVITES the Council, at an appropriate time,
to consider whether and how to incorporate such matters in the Scheme.