FAL Events
The IMO organises events on topics related to Facilitation on request of IMO Member States, NGO’s and IGO’s. For more information on events please contact the FAL Secretariat.
Symposium - Addressing law enforcement challenges in the maritime supply chain to improve facilitation of international maritime traffic (16 March 2023)
Law enforcement challenges facing the maritime industry in an increasingly interconnected world were the focus of a symposium organised jointly by IMO and the International Organization of Airport and Seaport Police (INTERPORTPOLICE). The event held remotely and in-person at IMO Headquarters during the 47th session of the IMO Facilitation Committee (FAL), examined a range of criminal activities related to ports and shipping including corruption, fraudulent documentation and the criminal trade in wildlife. More information about this symposium can be found here.
IMO-IAPH-BIMCO awareness raising campaign on the implementation of the Maritime Single Window
From 1 January 2024 it will be compulsory for ports around the world to operate MSWs for the electronic exchange of information required on ships' arrival at a port, their stay and their departure.
With this key date in mind, IMO, International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) and BIMCO joined forces to organize a series of events to raise awareness of the benefits of the MSW concept.
'Maritime Single Window 2024 – A window of opportunities' Webinar (18 October 2022)
The webinar aimed at highlighting the benefits and opportunities for maritime trade arising from the application of the maritime single window (MSW) to electronic ship clearance processes in ports.
Participants also heard how collaboration between Governments, ports and shipping is key for the digitalization of the ship-port interface to ensure the exchange of standardized and harmonized information.
Watch a recording of the webinar here.
'Maritime Single Window 2024 – A window of opportunities' hybrid Symposium (18-19 January 2023)
IMO, IAPH and BIMCO, with the support of IPCSA, organised the 'Maritime Single Window 2024 – A window of opportunities' hybrid symposium which brought together institutions, governments, port authorities, industry associations, shipowners, and solution providers from around the world to explore how MSWs fit with national digitalization strategies, the best approach to designing and implementing MSWs to suit Member States' maritime trade facilitation objectives but also for achieving the greening of shipping. The Symposium took place on 18-19 January 2023 at IMO Headquarters.
Please find a summary of the event here.
Please watch a recording of the Day 1 here and Day 2 here.
Programme: programme here
Speakers executive biographies can be found here.
Photos of the Symposium can be found here.
Presentations: slides of Panel 5 can be found here.
IMO actions against wildlife trafficking in international maritime supply chains (July and December 2022)
On 12 July 2022, a Symposium organized by IMO and Thailand on IMO action against wildlife trafficking in international maritime supply chains took place during IMO Council (C-127) to raise awareness and promote the adoption and implementation of Guidelines for the prevention and suppression of the smuggling of wildlife on ships engaged in international maritime traffic.
In addition, IMO and Thailand, together with WWF and with support from the German Corporation for International Cooperation GmbH (GIZ), USAID, UNDP, WCO, WSC; and with the participation of the Government of Kenya, organized an ʺAll Hands on Deck Maritime Stakeholders Workshopʺ in Thailand (Bangkok) on 6 and 7 December 2022.
Women, Ports and Facilitation (10 April 2019)
Use your power to empower". "Say what you're thinking". "Listen to the 'yes' voice in your head". "Return every phone call every day". "Believe in yourself". This was the advice given by a wide variety of inspiring maritime women sharing their experiences of entering, working and leading in the maritime world at a special event (photos) on "Women, ports and facilitation" at IMO Headquarters, London. The event was organized by IMO and WISTA*, took place in the margins of the Forty-third Session IMO's Facilitation Committee.
In his introduction to the event, IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim emphasized IMO's commitment to empowering women in the maritime community – this year's World Maritime Day theme – and the importance of getting "all hands on deck", both male and female, for the maritime world to continue to carry the world's goods in a clean safe and efficient manner.
The speakers (delete link) presented on, and answered questions about, their work and the future for women in the field – identifying a series of key issues and recommendations. These include the importance of promoting female role models; increased access to education; mentoring; and taking advantage of training – with the overriding point being that work promoting gender equality needed to be done by both men and women together..
To get more information, please click Related Documents on the right column to check presentations from speaker.
Making Cross Border Trade Simpler (11 April 2019)
In recent years, due to the speed of digital development, there has been an increased focus on the digitalization of cross-border movements of goods and the simplification of administrative processes. Port Community Systems (PCS) have been exchanging electronic information in sea ports and airports for over 40 years, and with the advent of Single Window (SW) and the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement, PCS have become an increasingly important part of simplifying cross-border trade.
To address these important issues, the seminar on "Making cross-border trade simpler", co-sponsored by IMO and the International Port Community Systems Association (IPCSA), was held at IMO Headquarters, London (11April), as a side event of the Forty-third Session of IMO's Facilitation Committee.
The seminar consisted of presentations from speakers on the general concept and development of PCS. It covered: Values and benefits of a Port Community System, links to Single Window and WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement. Presentations were focused on electronic exchange of information for trade facilitation; customs information flows and logistics flows integration; and also presented an example of a PCS implementation in Africa..
To get more information, please click Related Documents on the right column to check presentations from speakers.
Special Event on Ports (11 June 2018)
Global trade by sea is dependent on the interconnection between ships, ports and people - and everyone needs to be involved, from port operators, to regulators, to maritime security experts and innovators in technology. The theme of mutual cooperation and collaboration was highlighted throughout a special event on ports, held at IMO Headquarters. The Special Port Event was supported by IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim, in collaboration with the International Association of Ports and Harbours (IAPH).
Across four sessions, 18 panellists shared their views on port related issues such as automation and digitalisation, including Port Community Systems and the maritime single window; ways to improve facilitation; best practices to improve coordination at ports; improvement of efficiency of ports and implementation of measures to reduce emissions in ports; and the challenges of dealing with larger ships.
The importance of port security - as a key element to support facilitation of trade by ship - was also covered. The event was opened by IMO Secretary-General Lim, who said that it was his firm belief that the maritime sector, which includes shipping, ports and the people who operate them, could and should play a significant role in helping Member States to create the conditions necessary for increased employment, prosperity and stability ashore through the promotion of trade by sea; enhancing the port and maritime sector as wealth creators both on land and, through the development of a sustainable blue economy, at sea.
While stakeholders in the shipping industry may tend to operate in silos, Mr. Lim said that it was his intention to open the Organization up to stakeholders, who might not previously have been much involved in the work of IMO, in order to deal with all maritime aspects in a holistic way. Mr. Santiago Garcia Milà, President of the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH), also addressed the event (Read IAPH news item). Click here for photos.
Symposium on port security operations (12-13 June 2018)
A second event focused on port security (12-13 June). The Symposium on port security operations was co-sponsored by the International Association of Airport and Seaport Police (INTERPORTPOLICE) and the IMO Secretariat, focusing on exchange of best practice on port security and law enforcement. An introductory session conducted by IMO, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and Interpol, outlined resources, tools and capacity-building programmes and how ports can access them.
IMO, UNODC and Interpol have been collaborating on joint regional capacity building activities, focusing on maritime security, since the adoption of IMO's maritime security regime in 2002. The three organizations continue to work together to help build capacity to fight illicit maritime activity around the globe. IMO Secretary-General Lim highlighted the role of IMO and partner organizations in helping Governments to develop their national oversight capability for safety and security and to promote the application of the IMO International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS Code) and the ILO/IMO Code of Practice on security in ports. Mr. Lim also reiterated the need to develop increased collaboration and communication between shipping, ports and other stakeholders.