IMO welcomes new oceans treaty. Albion Marine Solutions actively contributes to the conservation and protection of marine biological diversity, including the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution by ships (MARPOL) and the International Ballast Water Management Convention – which aims to prevent the transfer of potentially invasive aquatic species – as well as the London Convention and Protocol regulating the dumping of wastes at sea.
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IMO has welcomed the landmark agreement on a new oceans treaty to protect marine biodiversity on the high seas. The new legally binding international instrument on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction – known as 'BBNJ' was agreed on 4 March, following conclusion of the fifth round of treaty negotiations at the United Nations headquarters in New York, United States.
According to IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim said: This landmark achievement will no doubt reinforce efforts to protect biodiversity in line with the aims of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Kunming-Montreal Global Framework for Biodiversity.
The BBNJ treaty addresses, among other things:
- The conservation and sustainable use of marine BBNJ.
- Marine genetic resources, including questions on benefit-sharing (MGR).
- Area Based Management Tools (ABMT), including marine protected areas.
- Environmental impact assessments (EIA); and
- Capacity-building and the transfer of marine technology (CB&TMT)
All ships must abide by the numerous safety regulations that the IMO has adopted, both inside and outside of PSSAs (designated sensitive sea areas), as well as in special and emission control zones. They include stringent guidelines for operating discharges, no-go zones, and other ship routing systems, including those designed to prevent shipping from passing over whales' breeding grounds. For more information contact
