Ships will be subject to mandatory requirements for electronic exchange of information under new regulations from the IMO.
The standards were adopted as part of part of a revised and modernized annex to the Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic (FAL), which aims to harmonize procedures for ship’s arrival, stay and departure from port.
This occurred during the 40th session Facilitation Committee meeting held 4th-8th April.
The revised Annex is expected to enter in force on 1 January 2018, under the tacit acceptance procedure.
Within three years of this date public authorities will be obliged to have established systems for the electronic exchange of information.
There will be a transitional period of 12 months from the date of the introduction of such systems to make electronic transmissions mandatory, during which period paper and electronic documents would be allowed.
The adoption of the revised FAL annex aimed at ensuring the FAL treaty (first adopted in 1965) addresses the current and future needs of shipping.
The overall objective is to prevent unnecessary delays to ships and to persons and property on board.
A new recommended practice encourages the use of the “single window” concept, to enable all the information required by public authorities in connection with the arrival, stay and departure of ships, persons and cargo, to be submitted via a single portal without duplication
What is the FAL Treaty?
The FAL treaty was first adopted in 196.
It aims at securing the highest practicable degree of uniformity in formalities and other procedures, including mandatory “Standards” and “Recommended Practices” on formalities, documentary requirements and procedures which should be applied on arrival, stay and departure to the ship itself, and to its crew, passengers, baggage and cargo.
