IMO backs rules for Northern Sea Route

As reported in 'The Japan News' :

By Keinchi Ogata / Yomiuri Shimbun MOSCOW — The International Maritime Organization (IMO) will actively promote the drawing up of rules regarding the Northern Sea Route, which significantly more vessels are expected to navigate in the future, according to an IMO source. Currently, Russia imposes its own rules on respective countries’ ships traveling the sea route. By establishing international standards, the IMO hopes to make the Northern Sea Route an international sea route that all vessels who meet the standards can freely navigate. The IMO is a special U.N. agency responsible for developing international rules on issues such as the safety and security of shipping, the prevention of maritime pollution from ships and the handling accidents at sea. Established in 1958, the body has 170 member countries. IMO Secretary General Koji Sekimizu, 61, revealed the plan in an interview with The Yomiuri Shimbun at the IMO’s headquarters in London in October. As Arctic sea ice has been melting due to global warming, the number of ships passing through the Northern Sea Route has rapidly increased from four in 2010 to 71 in 2013. However, in the Arctic, there are no rules like the Antarctic Treaty, which stipulates rules such as placing a freeze on territorial sovereignty claims by respective countries. Under such circumstances, Russia, which is along the Northrn Sea Route, introduced its own rules for most of the route, such as requiring ships to have Russia’s nuclear-powered icebreaker pilot them in the name of preventing accidents, and collects fees from the ships. “If standards set by the IMO take effect, Russia will not be able to refuse ships meeting the standards to travel the route,” Sekimizu said, emphasizing the envisaged standards will lead to the liberalization of the sea route. The IMO is in the process of developing mandatory regulations on maritime safety and the environment by revising relevant treaties. In addition, Sekimizu unveiled a plan to establish new seafarer qualifications. Mariners such as captains and navigation officers operating on international sea routes are required to have certifications based on the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers. The IMO will establish new certification for navigating in polar zones and draw up guidelines for such skills as assessing frozen seawater, navigating a ship through such water and preventing oil spills in emergencies. As there are fewer microorganisms in the Arctic sea due to low water temperatures, the sea has a weak ability to decompose oil and other substances, making it more important to prevent accidents there. IMO member states agreed in October on environmental provisions to be applied to ships operating in polar waters, imposing a blanket ban on the discharge of oil and any substances that include oil. The provisions are expected to come into force on Jan. 1, 2017, along with safety standards such as strengthening vessels’ bodies.