INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ORGANIZATION (IMO): REPORT OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON SAFETY OF NAVIGATION, 52ND SESSION, 17 - 21 JULY 2006.

UNCLASSIFIED UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LONDON 005615 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE PLEASE PASS TO IO/OIC FOR M. MORRISSEY, DOD, NOAA, FCC, AND MARAD E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: IMO, PSHA, SENV, PBTS, KSCA, UK SUBJECT: INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ORGANIZATION (IMO): REPORT OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON SAFETY OF NAVIGATION, 52ND SESSION, 17 - 21 JULY 2006. SUMMARY: The 52nd Session of the Safety of Navigation (NAV) S/C was held July 17 to 21, 2006 under the chairmanship of Mr. K. Polderman (Netherlands). The session was attended by 53 member governments, one associate member government, one non-member, and 14 intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations. The S/C unanimously re-elected Mr. K. Polderman as chairman and Mr. J. M. Sollosi (United States) as vice-chairman for 2007. All U.S. objectives were achieved. Major accomplishments of NAV52 were: the S/C approved the U.S. amendment to the traffic separation scheme (TSS) in the approach to Boston. The S/C approved a substantial number of additional routing measures. A proposal by Norway to establish a mandatory TSS and a proposal by Ecuador for a mandatory area to be avoided (ATBA) near the Galapagos were adopted after significant alterations proposed by the U.S. The S/C established a correspondence group under the chairmanship of the UK to address enhanced navigation (E-NAV). Amended performance standards for ECDIS were approved. Japan intervened to condemn DPRK missile launches. USDEL intervened in support of Japan and was joined by statements of concern from the Russian Federation, UK, France, Italy, Korea, and Finland. DPRK responded in an invective-filled discourse condemning the UNSC and the USG. USDEL intervened in support of Singapore's statement opposing Australia's mandatory pilotage regime in the Torres Strait. END SUMMARY. 1. ROUTING OF SHIPS, SHIP REPORTING AND RELATED MATTERS: The S/C approved all proposals on the agenda, with amendments as appropriate. The S/C noted, at Ecuador's request, but did not consider or approve two traffic separation schemes (TSS) because the U.S. intervened to clarify that these TSS's provide entry and exit to/from an area to be avoided (ATBA) around the Galapagos archipelago by ships bound to/from the Galapagos. The U.S. proposal to amend the TSS in the approach to Boston to reduce the risk of ship strikes of right and other whales was approved without debate. The proposal by Norway for a series of TSS joined by a recommended route from Vardo to Rost was approved after significant revisions. Norway expressed appreciation to the U.S. for assistance in revising their proposal. Italy's proposed ATBA and mandatory no anchorage area to protect shipping in the vicinity of a proposed LNG offloading and regasification facility in the Italian territorial sea was approved. The proposal originally included a safety zone, which is not an IMO recognized routing measure. Italy noted for the record that the associated 2000 meter safety zone would apply only to ships calling at the LNG facility or Italian ports. The S/C approved a mandatory ship reporting measure by Ecuador for the Galapagos ATBA after significant assistance from the U.S. to put the proposal in proper form. The S/C approved all other proposals on its agenda, all of which were unremarkable. Quality of submitted proposals improved markedly after the chairman had agreed at NAV51 to conduct a preliminary review of proposals in conjunction with submitting states. However, some proposals still needed revisions in order to be in complete conformance with the General Provisions on Ships Routeing. 2. AMENDMENTS TO THE ELECTRONIC CHART DISPLAY AND INFORMATION SYSTEM (ECDIS) PERFORMANCE STANDARDS: After noting a comprehensive report prepared by the correspondence group on ECDIS led by Norway, the S/C agreed to approve the draft performance standards for ECDIS and invite the Committee to adopt them as a resolution at its 82nd session. Recognizing the need to make progress on this issue, U.S. supported this position. 3. REVISION OF THE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS FOR INTEGRATED NAVIGATION SYSTEM (INS) AND INTEGRATED BRIDGE SYSTEM (IBS): The S/C considered all input documents on INS/IBS. The S/C approved the continuation of the correspondence group on INS and IBS and revised its terms of reference. The S/C requested the committee to extend the target completion date for the review of performance standards for INS and IBS to 2007. 4. EVALUATION OF THE USE OF (ECDIS) AND ELECTRONIC NAVIGATIONAL CHART (ENC) DEVELOPMENT: The S/C considered Australia's proposal to amend the circular SN/Circ. 207 relating to differences between raster nautical charts (RNC) and electronic navigational charts (ENC). Norway stated that observations by a lone member state should not be sufficient justification to change a S/N Circular. Denmark stated that based on a limited test that Australia performed it also does not want to amend the circular. Although U.S. supported Australia's proposal, the S/C agreed to defer refining S/N Circ 207 until after proposed amendments to the ECDIS performance standards were adopted by the committee. The S/C discussed whether the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) catalogue should focus on ENC and show RNC only where ENC is not available. The S/C agreed that the IHO catalogue should include ENC, RNC where ENC is not available, a coastal state recommendation on the appropriate folio of up-to-date paper charts for areas where paper charts might be necessary in the event there LONDON 00005615 002.2 OF 002 2006. is not an ENC and RNC provides a limited display, and an index of all available paper charts. 5. GUIDELINES FOR THE INSTALLATION OF RADAR, TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS TO THE COLLISION REGULATIONS (COLREGS), INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS UNION (ITU) MATTERS, AND OTHER TECHNICAL MATTERS: The S/C considered a guideline on the installation of shipborne radar equipment that was intended to allow ships to realize the maximum performance potential of the equipment. Target completion date for this issue is 2008. The S/C considered a proposal by Norway to amend Annex I of the COLREGS with respect to the color specification of navigation lights. Given that the International Commission on Illumination has revised the definitions of colors specified in Annex I, the Annex is in need of revision in order to reflect these changes. These revisions are necessary due to increased use of light emitting diodes in place of incandescent light sources. Target completion date for this issue is 2007. The S/C approved a liaison statement to ITU on maintenance and administration of Automatic Identification System binary messages. The S/C also approved draft performance standards for shipborne Galileo receiver equipment and forwarded them to Committee. 6. ENHANCED NAVIGATION (E-NAV): The S/C established a correspondence group under the chairmanship of the UK to address the emerging e-NAV concept. Terms of reference for the correspondence group direct them to define the concept of e-Navigation; identify issues and priorities in a policy framework on e-Navigation; identify benefits and obstacles that may arise; identify the roles of the organization, its member states, other bodies and industry; and formulate a work program for further development of the concept. Target completion for this work is 2008. 7. NAVIGATIONAL WARNINGS: Japan, responding to multiple missile launches conducted by North Korea (DPRK), called attention to Assembly resolution A 706(17) and MSC Circular 893 which recommends all member States give prior notice of operations which might endanger safety of navigation, expressly including missile launches, and noted that North Korea failed to give such notice prior to its missile launches earlier this month. U.S. supported Japan along with Russian Federation, UK, France, Italy, Republic of Korea and Finland. U.S. intervention called attention to recent Security Council resolution condemning DPRK actions and failure to provide required navigation warnings. U.S. further noted additional maritime safety deficiencies associated with DPRK flag ships. Russia urged IMO action on the matter while expressing support for efforts to achieve a peaceful conclusion to this situation. UK largely echoed the statements of the U.S. and Japanese delegations. France, Italy, Korea and Finland also expressed concern over DPRK's disregard for IMO resolutions and the threat to maritime navigation. DPRK delegation responded with a statement accusing Japan of slander and stating that its right to launch missiles is a sovereign matter not to be discussed in international fora. DPRK then quoted from a statement condemning the UNSC resolution and stating the U.S. created a dangerous situation on the Korean peninsula. The Chairman interrupted to end the DPRK intervention by reminding the DPRK delegation that NAV 52 was a forum for safety of navigation and not the appropriate venue to express political opinions on UNSC resolutions. Complete U.S intervention to be included as an annex to the S/C report. 8. MANDATORY PILOTAGE: Singapore stated opposition to Australia's recently declared mandatory pilotage regime in the Torres Strait. U.S. intervened stating mandatory pilotage should apply only to ships bound to or from Australian ports and not to ships in transit passage. Position was supported by Russian Federation, Japan, Panama, China, Norway, Greece, Liberia, Brazil, UK, Cyprus, Bahamas, South Africa, ICS and BIMCO. Australia responded by stating they were confident they were acting in accordance with international law and that they felt it was not appropriate to discuss the matter at NAV. JOHNSON