The focus of this paper is the UN’s agency for the maritime affairs, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and more precisely its approach to maritime safety. Being the…
Abstract
The focus of this paper is the UN’s agency for the maritime affairs, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and more precisely its approach to maritime safety. Being the only international rule‐maker, the sole setter of maritime safety standards that apply universally, the IMO exhibits increased interest especially with regard to its organisational culture, the safety culture that constitutes its core mission. An examination of the evolution of IMO’s safety culture is in essence an examination of the international approach to disaster prevention and risk management in shipping and it is in fact the subject of our present study. Our investigation will reveal the various safety issues that have been treated by IMO as high agenda items in recent years, as well as the factors that can be regarded as instrumental in cultural change and, thus, in the evolution of IMO’s safety philosophy.
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The focus of this paper is on the role of the United Nation’s Agency for the maritime affairs, i.e. the International Maritime Organisation, in the setting of quality and safety…
Abstract
The focus of this paper is on the role of the United Nation’s Agency for the maritime affairs, i.e. the International Maritime Organisation, in the setting of quality and safety standards in shipping and the difficulties in establishing and implementing them. Being the only international rule‐maker, the sole setter of maritime safety standards that apply universally, the IMO exhibits increased interest with respect to its approach to safety and the promotion of quality in the shipping sector. The present paper examines the steps taken in the 1990s by the IMO for enhanced quality and safety standards and undertakes a critical review of the most important hindrances in their establishment and implementation. The investigation reveals the various safety issues that have been treated by IMO as high agenda items in recent years as well as a number of limitations for the IMO and problems with regard to the implementation process.