Cabinet gives nod to amendments to Merchant Shipping Bill

Government today decided to adopt global convention of International Maritime Organisation to help sea vessels from India undertake international shipping activities without approaching other countries.
The amendments to the Merchant Shipping (Amendment) Bill 2013, aimed at acceding to the Anti Fouling Systems (AFS) Convention 2001 of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), were approved by the Union Cabinet this evening.
These would now require to be cleared by the Parliament.
The approval of the amendments would enable all Indian flag sea-going vessels having 400 gross tonnage or more to engage in international shipping activities without having to approach other governments, who have ratified the convention for such certificates, after getting an International Anti-Fouling System Certificate.

There are no financial implications involved, a government release said after the Cabinet meeting.
"Further, India will be able to ensure that all foreign flag vessels entering Indian territorial waters or exclusive economic zone are duly certified in accordance with the requirement of the AFS Convention 2001," it said.

The AFS Convention aims to protect the environment and human health from adverse effects of anti-fouling systems used in ships by, among other things prohibiting application or use of listed harmful anti-fouling systems, requiring removal of organotin biocides from hulls.
Anti-fouling paints are used on the ship's surface to control the growth of foulant organisms, such as barnacles, mussels, oysters, tube worms, etc which affect the speed of ships.

"Such use of anti-fouling paints, when persistent in the water, leads to "leaching" into sea-water. This harms the marine environment in contravention to the precautionary approach set out in Principle 15 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development," it said.