IMO Environmental Regulations – Is there a Case forChange to the Standard Entry Into Force Requirements?

摘要

In 1973 Annex IV to MARPOL on thernPrevention of Pollution by Sewage fromrnShips was adopted and, despite beingrnratified by 75% of the Parties to MARPOL,rnhas yet to enter into force some 28 yearsrnafter its adoption. In 1997 Annex VI tornMARPOL on the Prevention of AirrnPollution from Ships was adopted and, afterrnmore than three years, has only been ratifiedrnby 3 of the required 15 States. In Octoberrn2001 a Diplomatic Conference is scheduledrnto be held in London to finalise, andrnhopefully adopt, a Convention to protect thernmarine environment against the use of toxicrnantifouling systems on ships hulls; the draftrntext of the Convention is nearly completernbut the question of entry into forcernconditions remains to be resolved.rnLikewise, another Convention onrn“Unwanted Aquatic Organisms in BallastrnWater” is likely to go to a DiplomaticrnConference in the biennium 2002/2003 andrnagain, entry into force requirements have notrnyet been formalised but will undoubtedlyrnform a major part of future discussions.rnThe conundrum, therefore, is whetherrnenvironmental legislation which directly orrnindirectly affects all countries, and not justrnthose with a coastline, should be subject tornthe same standard entry into forcernrequirements presently being applied tornother maritime legislation.