SECOND JOINT MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
AND DECLARATION ON PORT STATE CONTROL

On November 2 and 3, 2004, Canada hosted the Second Joint Ministerial Conference on Port State Control. This important conference was organized by Transport Canada to bring together ministers and delegates representing the Paris and Tokyo Memoranda of Understanding on Port State Control - two international agreements of which Canada is a signatory member.

The objective of the conference was to discuss issues related to marine safety, protection of the environment, and how to further harmonize port state control procedures. The theme of the conference, "Strengthening the Circle of Responsibility", emphasized that port state control is everyone's responsibility as all parties involved in shipping must effectively carry out their responsibilities, strengthen their joint commitment to marine safety, security and the environment, and hold each other accountable for their actions.

The parties forming the circle of responsibility include shipowners, operators, flag states, classification societies, seafarers, industry organizations, charterers, coastal states and port states, financial institutions, insurance companies, shipbuilders, marine equipment manufacturers, port authorities, and pilots.

At the conclusion of the conference, the ministers signed a declaration outlining their commitment to further harmonizing and enhancing port state control initiatives. The declaration notes two key steps that need to be taken in the coming years. First, port states need to apply increasing pressure on operators of substandard ships and secondly, new, proactive port state control policies must be undertaken.

In order to meet these objectives, the delegates are committing to:

• developing and implementing inspection regimes based on a new International Labour Organization Convention;
• ensuring that single-hulled oil tankers are phased out of operation in accordance with international agreements;
• conducting further concentrated inspection campaigns, i.e., campaigns under which normal inspections are supplemented by a focused inspection on a specific international requirement;
• carrying out in-depth analyses of ship deficiencies;
• intensifying the targeting of high-risk ships;
• using the carrot and stick approach of targeting inspections based on a ship's high-risk profile, and developing an incentive system for companies whose ships have low-risk profiles;
• enhancing the transparency of port state control by regularly publishing detailed information on detained ships, including the names of owners and charterers;
• enhancing regional training programs for port state control officers;
• increasing harmonization between the two Memoranda of Understanding to ensure resources are used as efficiently and effectively as possible; and
• investigating the feasibility of cost recovery for the inspection of substandard ships that consistently have poor safety records.

In addition, the ministers recognize that global acts of terrorism, as well as incidents of piracy and armed robbery, are of grave concern. Therefore, security measures that have already been agreed upon must be effectively implemented to protect human lives, the shipping industry, international trade and the global economy.

These commitments build on actions taken since 1998 when the First Joint Ministerial Conference on Port State Control was held in Vancouver.

Since the first conference, Canada has played an active role in harmonizing the provisions of the Paris and Tokyo Memoranda, and in enhancing port state control programs. For example, Canada took an important step in signing a joint declaration on port state control with the United States and Mexico. In addition, Transport Canada lent its expertise to the Caribbean Memorandum of Understanding and is working with Caribbean authorities to develop Canadian-based port state control rules and procedures. It is Canada's position that these regional Memoranda of Understanding may eventually evolve into global common standards that will benefit all marine transportation partners.

In addition, Transport Canada has enhanced its national training program to allow for its inspectors to provide in-depth knowledge to new recruits and foreign inspectors coming to Canada for on-the-job training. The department has also provided specialized training courses around the world.

Furthermore, Transport Canada participated in several concentrated inspection campaigns focusing on specific international requirements such as safety management systems; the training and certification of seafarers; guidelines in areas such as seafarers' hours of work and rest; bulk carriers and oil tankers; and the operational control of passenger ships.

November 2004