Following the 32nd Extraordinary Session of the IMO Council, conducted remotely, on-line over the past few months, the Chairman summed up the issues raised under agenda items 3 and 5, taking into account the outcome of the informal Correspondence Group relating to guidance on remote meetings and comments received. Prioritisation and Reconstruction of the IMO Meetings Schedule was at the forefront of discussions and it was decided that C124, ISWG-GHG 7 (Intersessional Working Group on Green House Gases), MEPC 75 and MSC 102 should be accorded the highest priority when IMO meetings resume. Remote sessions of a less technical nature, such as TCC (Technical Co-Operation Committee), will be conducted in the first instance. There was broad agreement that proposed meetings should not be rescheduled for August 2020, also that LC/LP Scientific groups be convened by correspondence and many delegations supported further exploration of ways to continue remote meetings incorporating simultaneous interpretation services.
SCHEDULED RECONSTRUCTION PRIORITIES FOR IMO MEETINGS.
1. Council 124 (C125 may be postponed to early 2021 if necessary);
2. MEPC 75 (MEPC 76 & 77 may be held in 2021, 6-month interval required);
3. ISWG-GHG (two sessions, one before and one after MEPC 75, if possible);
4. MSC 102 (8-day meeting). MSC 103 may be postponed to early 2021, 6 month interval required;
5. FAL 44;
6. LEG 107;
7. LC42/LP15;
8. TCC 70;
9. CCC 7 (could move to 2021, but should be avoided, if possible;
10. III 7 (could move to 2021);
11. HTW 7 (could move to 2021);
12. ESPH 26 (may be held in conjunction with other meetings, but should be held after MEPC 75 and in 2020, if possible);
13. E & T 33 (could move to 2021 but should be held in conjunction with CCC 7;
14. LC/SG-ES (could be held in the 2 days before LC/42/LP15 possibly by correspondence);
15. EGDH 2 & 3 (could be held just after FAL 44, if possible;
16. LP/CC 13 could be held as a Working Group during LC42/LP15; and,
17. Sixteenth meeting of the joint IMO/ITU Expert Group on Maritime Radiocommunications matters.
The revised schedule for Autumn meetings will be sent to InterManager members as soon as it is published.
End.
Captain Paddy McKnight.
