Typical findings issued during IMO member states audits and ways to eliminate them

The paper concerns the study related to improving of level of safety at sea and reducing risk of marine accidents through development of conventions, codes and resolutions by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). IMO strives for each of the 175 Member States to properly implement and ensure enforcement of IMO instruments related to maritime safety. To assist Member States in implementing its instruments, IMO has been developing a special set of measures, which is currently enshrined within the IMO Member State Audit Scheme (IMSAS). IMSAS implies conduct of periodic audits in each IMO Member State, to assess how the audit standard, namely, the mandatory Code for the IMO Instruments Implementation (III Code) and IMO instruments (conventions, codes, etc.), to which the State is a party, are applied to the required extent and with the appropriate level of quality. In 2022, IMO adopted a number of decisions and documents, according to which further steps for the development of the Scheme, such as development of an recommendatory “Guidance in relation to IMO Member State Audit Scheme (IMSAS) to assist in the implementation of the III Code” (hereinafter referred to as Guidance) are planned. The purpose of the Guidance is to provide Member States with guidelines and recommendations in the implementation of the III Code and IMO instruments by clarifying and interpreting the relevant terms. The Guidance is currently in the final stage of development within the IMO Subcommittee on Implementation of IMO Instruments (III), and it is planned that the IMO Assembly will adopt it in 2023 with a recommendation status. In this paper, the Guidance is considered, its background and prerequisites for its development are investigated, its structure, composition, purpose are considered, as well as an assessment of quality and degree of its usefulness from the point of view of achieving the goals set during its development is given. The chapter of the Guidance listing typical findings issued during Member States audits is reviewed in detail, the most effective measures for their elimination are reviewed. The analysis and generalization of measures taken by Member States to eliminate findings is carried out, systematization of such measures by areas of maritime activity of the State, identification of similar aspects and approaches are also carried out. Possible measures are identified to improve the IMO Member State Audit Scheme as a whole and to implement its provisions within a single State. 

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