Facilitation Committee (FAL 48) - Opening remarks

ADDRESS OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL AT THE OPENING OF THE FORTY-EIGHTH SESSION OF THE FACILITATION COMMITTEE (FAL 48), 8 to 12 April 2024

Delivered by IMO Secretary-General Mr. Arsenio Dominguez on 8 April, 2024

Good morning distinguished delegates,

Welcome to the 48th session of the Facilitation Committee. 

I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate my call for the immediate release of the Galaxy Leader and its crew, as well as the 23 crew members of Bangladesh nationality aboard the MV Abdullah, who remain hijacked since November 2023 and March 2024, respectively. 

The global economy depends on international shipping and seafarers, and therefore they should not be the subject of any type of attacks.

I also wish to express my deepest sympathy to the people of the United States of America for the major accident that occurred on 26 March 2024 in Baltimore, when the container ship DALI collided with a pier on the Francis Scott Key Bridge. Our thoughts are with the victims, their families, and all those impacted by this unfortunate event. We expect that an investigation report will be submitted to IMO in due course.

Unfortunately I have also been informed about an incident involving a passenger ship off the coast of Mozambique. We are getting additional information as we speak and will present this to the Committee later this week.

This year’s World Maritime theme is: “Navigating the future: safety first!”. This theme is a pledge to uphold the highest standards of safety in every aspect of this Organization’s regulatory work while facing the challenges of a fast-changing world, challenges such as climate change; developments in technology, artificial intelligence; and new threats faced by the shipping industry.

In reflecting on our journey towards digitalization, a significant achievement emerges: the decision by this Committee in 2022 to make mandatory the implementation of maritime single windows in ports worldwide from 1 January 2024. This decision from FAL 46 represents a major stride for the maritime community. It simplifies the clearance processes for ships, cargo, and people, reducing the administrative burden on our crews and stakeholders, thereby increasing the efficiency of our ports.

The Organization has successfully conducted technical cooperation activities to assist countries in deploying maritime single windows, often in collaboration with donor countries. I commend Norway and Singapore, for their contributions to projects in Antigua and Barbuda and Angola in recent years.

As we embark on the work of FAL 48, among other things, you are expected to finalize the new version of the IMO Compendium on Facilitation and Electronic Business, with the inclusion of new data sets. The Compendium is a critical instrument to accelerate digitalization in shipping business and in the ship/port interface, and I would like to thank Finland, Germany, Kingdom of the Netherlands, and the port of Rotterdam for the contribution of funds to the IMO Compendium project, to ensure its sustainability.

You are also expected to finalize the Explanatory Manual to the FAL Convention, to update its contents to reflect the amendments adopted by the Committee in the last two sessions, and to finalize the Guidelines on Port Community Systems. 

On digitalization, you will consider the recently published report of the industry survey, which was conducted to obtain a better understanding of how ships perceive the current state of digitalization within ports, and you will also consider a proposal of new output to develop an overarching IMO Strategy on digitalization to ensure standardization and harmonization.

I am confident that, under the guidance of your new Chair, Mr. Watchara Chiemanukulkit of Thailand, ably supported by the Vice-Chair, Mr. Mohamed Al Kaabi of the United Arab Emirates, as well as the staff of the Maritime Safety Division together with the staff of supporting divisions, you will be able to successfully achieve the objectives set for this session.

I extend best wishes to all of you for every success in your deliberations; and I invite you all to join me and the Secretariat at my welcome reception in the Delegates' Lounge after the close of today's business.

Thank you.

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