Interferry and the International Maritime Organization (IMO)

In 2003, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) granted Interferry Consultative Status. This status allows Interferry the opportunity to attend all IMO meetings, to engage in debate and make formal submissions. Voting on regulations is the sole responsibility of the Member States. Since we received Consultative Status, Interferry has been represented at every meeting of the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC), the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC), and many sub-committee and working group meetings.

Interferry’s involvement with the IMO is critical to ferry operators globally who are governed under IMO international shipping regulations. If shipping regulations deliberated at the IMO, the EU or any other regulatory or governmental body don’t take into account the unique nature of ferry operations in comparison to deep-sea shipping, ferry operators could be disproportionately affected by blanket regulations without the advocacy Interferry provides.

Why Does Interferry’s Representation at the IMO Matter to Domestic Ferry Operators?

While countries with domestic ferry operations are not bound by IMO regulations, most flag states look to the IMO guidelines as a blueprint when developing and modifying their own maritime rules.

Currently, many flag states are referencing and/or implementing the IMO’s greenhouse gases (GHG) regulations as they look to decarbonize their own maritime industries.

Since the ferry sector only represents between 3% to 5% of the total shipping industry, history has proven that the most successful way that domestic ferry operators can ensure that they are not governed under blanket regulations targeted at large, deep-sea shipping vessels, is for Interferry to represent the unique interests of the industry proactively and aggressively at the IMO.

The ferry sector comprises between 3% to 5% of the total shipping industry, and as such is at risk of being governed by blanket regulations targeted at large, deep-sea shipping vessels. Interferry proactively and aggressively represents the unique interests of the entire ferry industry at the IMO, and all ferry operators – including domestic ferries – benefit.

IMO PROGRAM OF MEETINGS FOR 2024

8 – 12 January 5th session of the Joint FAO/ILO/IMO Ad Hoc Working Group on Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing and Related Matters FAO
22 – 26 January SUB-COMMITTEE ON SHIP DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION (SDC) – 10th session IMO
5 – 9 February SUB-COMMITTEE ON HUMAN ELEMENT, TRAINING AND WATCHKEEPING (HTW) – 10th session IMO
12 – 16 February Joint ILO/IMO Working Group (JWG) on Guidelines on the Medical Examination of Fishing Vessel Personnel ILO
19 – 23 February SUB-COMMITTEE ON POLLUTION PREVENTION AND RESPONSE (PPR) – 11th session IMO
26 Feb – 1 March 40th meeting of the Editorial and Technical (E&T) Group (IMSBC Code) IMO
27 – 29 February 2nd meeting of the Joint ILO/IMO Tripartite Working Group (JTWG) to identify and address seafarersʹ issues and the human element IMO
4 – 8 March SUB-COMMITTEE ON SHIP SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT (SSE) – 10th session IMO
11 – 15 March 16th meeting of the Intersessional Working Group on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships – (ISWG-GHG 16) IMO
18 – 22 March MARINE ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION COMMITTEE (MEPC) – 81st session IMO
8 – 12 April FACILITATION COMMITTEE (FAL) – 48th session IMO
15 – 19 April 47th meeting of the Scientific Group under the London Convention/18th meeting of the Scientific Group under the London Protocol (LC/SG 47) IMO
15 – 19 April 10th meeting of the Expert Group on Data Harmonization IMO
22 – 26 April LEGAL COMMITTEE (LEG) – 111th session IMO
29 April – 3 May IOPC FUNDS/HNS WORKSHOP IMO
8 – 10 May 3rd session of the Joint MSC/LEG/FAL Working Group on MASS IMO
15 – 24 May MARITIME SAFETY COMMITTEE (MSC) – 108th session IMO
4 – 13 June SUB-COMMITTEE ON NAVIGATION, COMMUNICATIONS AND SEARCH AND RESCUE (NCSR) – 11th session IMO
17 – 21 June 3rd session of the Intersessional Working Group on Relations with Non-Governmental Organizations (ISWG-NGO 3) IMO
24 – 28 June TECHNICAL COOPERATION COMMITTEE (TC) – 74th session IMO
8 – 12 July COUNCIL – 132nd session IMO
15 – 18 July IMSO AC 50 IMO
22 – 26 July SUB-COMMITTEE ON IMPLEMENTATION OF IMO INSTRUMENTS (III) – 10th session IMO
16 – 20 September SUB-COMMITTEE ON CARRIAGE OF CARGOES AND CONTAINERS (CCC) – 10th session IMO
23 – 27 September 41st meeting of the Editorial and Technical (E&T) Group (IMSBC Code) IMO
30 September – 4 October MARINE ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION COMMITTEE (MEPC) – 82nd session IMO
7 – 11 October Maritime Radiocommunication Matters IMO
7 – 11 October 11th meeting of the Expert Group on Data Harmonization IMO
14 – 18 October 30th meeting of the Working Group on the Evaluation of Safety and Pollution Hazards of Chemicals (ESPH) IMO
24 – 25 October 16th meeting of the LP Compliance Group IMO
28 October – 1 November 46th CONSULTATIVE MEETING OF CONTRACTING PARTIES (LONDON CONVENTION 1972) 19th MEETING OF CONTRACTING PARTIES (LONDON PROTOCOL 1996) IMO
4 – 8 November 31st meeting of the ICAO/IMO Joint Working Group on Harmonization of Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue Ireland
4 – 8 November IOPC FUNDS IMO
18 – 22 November COUNCIL – 133rd session IMO
2 – 6 December MARITIME SAFETY COMMITTEE (MSC) – 109th session IMO
9 – 13 December IMSO A 29 IMO