The 2008 IAIN Officers’ Meeting was held on 22-Apr-2008 in Toulouse.

Since the last meeting of IAIN Officers, the principal item on the ICAO Agenda has been the 36th (triennial) Assembly of Member States, Montreal 18-28th September 2007. The Assembly sets the work program, and agrees the budget for ICAO for the next 3 to 6 years. With the decline in the value of the US dollar, and increasing demands made on the Organization in the fields of Air Safety, Aviation Security, and Environmental Protection, ICAO has been facing a severe budget challenge. This is being met by internal reorganization, and refocus of resources to priority action programs against deliverables and performance standards, with reduced emphasis on the more traditional industry standard setting role.

Review of COLREGS regarding the right of way of vessels over pleasure craft.

The 25th biennial meeting of the IMO Assembly has unanimously confirmed the decision of the Organization’s Council to extend the appointment of Secretary-General Efthimios Mitropoulos for a further term of four years, for the period from 1st January 2008 to 31st December 2011.
Admiral Mitropoulos thanked delegates for the continuing trust they had placed in him and for their unfailing understanding and co-operation during his first four years as Secretary-General. He also thanked the Secretariat for its hard work and support.
In sharing with the IMO Members his vision for the future, he said that, in the years to come, the focus of the many challenges facing the Organization should be on: Keeping alive the spirit of this year’s World Maritime Day theme, on responding successfully to environmental challenges.

IMO has a good and improving record in enhancing safety and security at sea and preventing marine pollution from ships, but more needs to be done, the Secretary-General told delegates at the opening on 19th November of the 25th Session of the Organization’s governing body, the Assembly.

The meeting is being attended by more than 1,000 delegates from IMO Member States as well as international and non-governmental organizations.

Report by Elisabeth Klaffenböck (OVN) on the Informal Preparatory Meeting for the third meeting of the ICG Organised by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, Vienna, Austria, 18th to 19th February 2008.

The inaugural IMO Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea was presented on 19th November to two seafarers who risked their lives to save others in a dramatic rescue operation in gale-force winds.
Second Officer Mustafa Topiwala of the 83,155dwt Bahamas-registered oil/bulk ore carrier Searose G and Captain Zvonimir Ostric (who was in the vessel as onboard trainer at the time of the incident) were selected to receive the inaugural 2007 IMO Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea, in recognition of their part in the rescue of survivors from the sunken vessel Teklivka, in the eastern Mediterranean, in March 2006.
They were nominated by the Bahamas and by the International Federation of Shipmasters’ Associations (IFSMA).

The next IAIN Officers’ Meeting will be held on 22nd April 2008 in Toulouse, France.
Captain Rein van Gooswilligen MSc MBA FRIN provides us with an update on IMO activities.

In 2008 IMO celebrates the 50th anniversary of the entry into force of the convention that established the organization. IAIN?s presence at IMO since 1976 has always been closely related to its objectives. That is uniting national and multinational institutes and organisations which aim to foster human activities particularly at sea plus a contribution to the development of the science and practice of navigation and related information techniques. Within this framework during 2008 IAIN activities centred around NAV 53, MSC 83 and STW39. Hereunder follow the main particulars for more information members are invited to read the more extensive report that is also available.

The second meeting of the PNT advisory board was held in Washington DC in
October 2007. The minutes of the public meeting may be found at www.PNT.gov
and were previously circulated by email.

After the 17th International Hydrographic Conference in May 2007, the IHO is implementing the decisions taken at the Conference. The status of the implementation is reported on the website www.iho.int.

Report on three ICG meetings.