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The theme of the meeting was “Safeguarding Responsible and Sustainable Shipping.” The 2017 event was built on the success of the Second Joint Ministerial Conference, held in November 2004. The Third Joint Ministerial Conference advanced discussions on eliminating sub-standard shipping in regions that are members of the two Memoranda.
The Honourable Marc Garneau, Canada’s Minister of Transport, chaired the Conference, which took place on May 3 and 4, 2017, at the Vancouver Convention Centre. It brought together more than 45 ministers from the MOU Member States to discuss initiatives that:
- promote a wider safety and security culture throughout the entire maritime industry;
- protect the global marine environment; and
- safeguard crews with respect to their living and working conditions aboard ships.
Observer organizations were also present at the Conference.
During the Conference, Ministers:
- discussed and reviewed past progress;
- identified specific areas of concern; and
- recommended appropriate courses of action.
At the conclusion of the Conference, leaders from Canada as well as European and Pacific Rim countries signed a new Ministerial Declaration on Port State Control, which is now available online. This Declaration is a commitment to protect our oceans by eliminating substandard shipping practices and advancing international ship safety.
Questions & Answers
A. Port State Control is the inspection of foreign ships by ports’ governing states. These inspections verify the condition of vessels and their compliance with the requirements of international safety, security and pollution prevention standards. Inspections also verify compliance with requirements for the working and living conditions of seafarers.
A. The purpose of the conference is to have a third Ministerial Declaration signed by representatives of the MOU member countries. This declaration will reconfirm our commitment to eliminating sub-standard shipping around the world. It will also serve as a framework for new global policies and programs to facilitate these efforts.
A. The First Joint Ministerial Conference was held in Vancouver on March 24 and 25, 1998. The declarations by the Ministers of the countries represented contributed to an improvement of shipping in the two MOU regions and have helped reduce the number of sub-standard ships operating worldwide.
A. The Second Joint Ministerial Conference was held in Vancouver on November 2 and 3, 2004. The declaration was signed by Ministers of countries represented to strengthen their joint commitment to further harmonizing and enhancing Port State Control initiatives worldwide.
A. Canada has signed two agreements on Port State Control, the Paris Memorandum of Understanding and the Tokyo Memorandum of Understanding. These agreements established regional systems for the inspection of foreign ships. The objective of the agreements on Port State Control is to detect sub-standard shipping and minimize the threat to life, property and the marine environment. They also aim to improve safety and the working and living conditions of seafarers.