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
and the prevention and control of marine pollution from ships,
HAVING CONSIDERED the general purpose of the Convention
on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic, 1965, as amended,
in particular article III,
REAFFIRMING that chapter VII of the International Convention
for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, as amended (1974 SOLAS
Convention) and the International Maritime Dangerous Goods
(IMDG) Code contain sufficient and adequate provisions for the safe
carriage of dangerous goods in packaged form including IMDG Code class
7 radioactive materials,
BEING AWARE of difficulties encountered in the carriage
of certain IMDG Code class 7 radioactive materials including those
used for medical or public health applications,
BEING CONCERNED about the potential adverse consequences
that denial of carriage of IMDG Code class 7 radioactive materials
used in medical applications, for example Cobalt-60 and those radioisotopes
used in radiotherapy and nuclear medicine, might have on public health,
NOTING the efforts of the Facilitation Committee, at its
thirty-first and thirty-second sessions, to address and resolve the
issue, and in particular the approval of FAL.6/Circ.12 on “Difficulties
encountered in the shipment of the IMDG Code class 7 radioactive materials
and, in particular, Cobalt-60”,
NOTING ALSO the work done by the International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA) in an effort to assist in the alleviation of the difficulties
encountered in the carriage of IMDG Code class 7 radioactive materials,
NOTING FURTHER the progress made by the IAEA in conjunction
with the International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Associations
on the problems related to refusals of air shipments of radioactive
materials, in particular those used for medical applications, and
the establishment, by the General Conference of the IAEA, through
resolution GC(49)/RES/9, of a steering committee to oversee the resolution
of the problem, as recommended by the IAEA Transport Safety Standards
Committee,
ALSO NOTING that cessation of the transport of radioactive
materials, except those used in medical or public health applications,
through the regions of small island developing States is an ultimate
desired goal of small island developing States and some other countries,
and recognizing the right of freedom of navigation in accordance with
international law,
RECOGNIZING the diverse and important uses of radioactive
material, including Cobalt-60 and the need to ensure the effective
and efficient carriage of this medical isotope for the benefit of
public health,
1 INVITES Member Governments to note that carriage
of IMDG Code class 7 radioactive materials, when carried out in compliance
with the relevant provisions of chapter VII of the 1974 SOLAS Convention, the IMDG Code and the recommendations contained
in MSC/Circ.675 on “Recommendations on the safe transport of
dangerous cargoes and related activities in port areas”, meets
the necessary safety requirements and should be facilitated;
2 ALSO INVITES Member Governments to recognize
the beneficial uses of IMDG Code class 7 radioactive materials in
packaged form used in medical or public health applications and to
facilitate their expeditious transportation;
3 FURTHER INVITES Member Governments to work with
relevant national authorities and industry associations to raise the
required level of awareness and to help alleviate the difficulties
encountered in the carriage of IMDG Code class 7 radioactive materials
including those in packaged form used in medical or public health
applications;
4 URGES Member Governments and non-governmental
organizations with consultative status to bring to the attention of
the Facilitation Committee any instances, together with the associated
reasons, where the carriage of IMDG Code class 7 radioactive materials,
including those in packaged form used in medical or public health
applications, encounter difficulties or are refused carriage aboard
ship or in or through ports, so as to enable the Facilitation Committee
to consider the matter further; to determine the actions required,
and to report to the twenty-fifth regular session of the Assembly
on the progress made towards resolving these issues;
5 REQUESTS the Facilitation Committee, in co-operation
with other bodies of the Organization, to continue to work with a
view to resolving difficulties encountered in the carriage of all
IMDG Code class 7 radioactive materials, including those used in medical
or public health applications, and to continue to co-operate with
the IAEA in this respect;
6 AGREES that resolution of the difficulties encountered
in the carriage of IMDG Code class 7 radioactive materials requires
continued co-operation between the Organization and the IAEA and with
any bodies the latter may set up to deal with the issue;
7 REQUESTS ALSO the Secretary-General to explore
the possibility of establishing an ad hoc mechanism within
the Organization to co-ordinate efforts to speedily resolve difficulties
in the carriage of IMDG Code class 7 radioactive materials, in close
co-operation with the IAEA.