Trade association Interferry is working with the IMO to facilitate a regional ferry safety forum for selected Asian countries.The organisations are in the preliminary phaseof planning the event – earmarked for Southeast Asia this December - as the next stage of activity within their 2006 Memorandum of Understanding to reduce ferry fatalities in developing nations. The first stage led to various pilot projects in Bangladesh and coincided with similar initiatives by other countries in the region.
Main objectives of the forum would be to share these experiences, review low-cost technology to improve prevention and response, draw up a financing programme and encourage commitment to an ongoing safety enhancement and quality improvement process.
Initial support for the forum was expressed by senior representatives from Australia, China, Japan, the Philippines and Singapore at an exploratory meeting arranged during the recent IMO Maritime Safety Committee session in London. Support has also been voiced by a number of maritime administrations that were unable to attend the meeting. A proposal from China that the forum should be open to all nations with large ferry fleets is under active consideration.
At the meeting, the IMO secretariat stressed that funding was not yet confirmed and invited sponsorship from a host nation, as well as suggesting that participating countries could show support by contributing to the attendance costs of their personnel. A correspondence group has been set up to continue discussions. If the first forum proves successful, a further event would be planned to respond to the concerns of Pacific Island countries.
Ferry safety will be among the main topics at Interferry’s 36th annual conference, which takes place in Barcelona from October 3-6 on the theme of confronting operational and regulatory challenges. The programme also includes sessions on training; outsourcing of operations, maintenance and insurance; alternative fuels; and emissions control.
“Last year’s record attendance in New York is being echoed by widespread support for the 2011 event,” says CEO Len Roueche. “The ferry industry is facing unprecedented sector-specific pressures that underline the need to make our experience count in areas such as safety and the environment.”