Marina prepares for IMO audit in October

Marina prepares for IMO audit in October
Genivi Verdejo July 12, 2023 https://www.manilatimes.net/2023/07/12/business/maritime/marina-prepares...

THE Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) held an interagency write-shop in preparation for the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Member State Audit Scheme (Imsas) in October 2023.

Julius Yano, assistant secretary for maritime at the Department of Transportation (DoTr) and Imsas Technical Working Group (TWG) chairman, encouraged the Imsas TWG members to fulfill their respective commitments, particularly those indicated in the Pre-Audit Questionnaire (PAQ), Additional Pre-Audit Information (PAI) and Philippine maritime strategy.

"Through this write-shop, I hope we will be able to have a unified effort in ensuring that the Philippine maritime industry adheres to the highest standards and complies with international maritime commitments to sustain an efficient, and robust maritime industry," Yano said.

The write-shop held on July 3-4, 2023 focused on reviewing and finalizing the PAQ and PAI, as well as updating the key performance indicators (KPI), as set by the Philippine Maritime Strategy on the Implementation and Enforcement of Relevant IMO Instruments for 2020-2024.

The plenary discussion was led by the Imsas technical consultant, Jose Venancio Vero, and was jointly facilitated by the head of the Imsas secretariat, Marina, and the Overseas Shipping Service (OSS) officer in charge, Precila Jara.

Jara encouraged the member agencies to continually strengthen their mechanisms toward the realization of Imsas compliance.

The PAQ and PAI are considered a member state's initial response to preliminary questions for Imsas, as these documents will form part of the audit team's strategic planning before subjecting the country to external scrutiny.

The Philippine maritime strategy aims to enhance and ensure full compliance with the country's international obligations and responsibilities as a member of the IMO.

The interagency write-shop was attended by representatives of the DoTr, Marina, Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine Ports Authority, Cebu Port Authority, National Telecommunications Commission, National Mapping and Resource Information Authority, and Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration.