IMSML Website Article 17/2023: Resolution MSC.528(106) – Recommended Cooperation to Ensure the Safety of Life at Sea, The Rescue of Persons in Distress at Sea and The Safe Disembarkation of Survivors

This is the 17th article of IMSML’s 2023 Website Article series.

According to the summary provided by the Marine Department in Malaysian Shipping Notice 3/2023, the primary aim of this resolution is to promote the safety of life at sea. The resolution also provides for IMO Member States to ensure safety of life at sea by playing their roles in all phases of Search and Rescue (SAR) operations. These SAR operations have to be carried out in accordance with international law. The resolution also provides for promotion between coastal States and flag States of ships that are involved in SAR.

This is a short article, as Resolution MSC.528(106) is relatively short. The four principles expounded by this resolution are as follows:

[1] Quick and effective cooperation. This is to permeate all the phases of search and rescue operation.

[2] Survivors to spend as little time as possible on the rescue ship. It is important to minimise the time the survivors remain onboard the ship rendering assistance.

[3] The benchmark for success in SAR is delivery of the survivors to a place of safety. A SAR operation is only concluded until the survivors have been disembarked into a place of safety. This shall be performed in accordance with the rules of international law.

[4] Compliance with SOLAS and SAR Conventions. Lawful SAR operations are a tool to promoting cooperation between coastal States and the flag State of ships involved in SAR.

Thank you for reading IMSML Website Article 17/2023

Stay tuned for the next IMSML Website Article 18/2023: Resolution MSC.263(84)/Rev.1 – Performance Standards and Functional Requirements for The Long-Range Identification and Tracking of Ships

Signing-off for today,

Dr Irwin Ooi Ui Joo, LL.B(Hons.)(Glamorgan); LL.M (Cardiff); Ph.D (Cardiff); CMILT

Professor of Maritime and Transport Law

Head of the Centre for Advocacy and Dispute Resolution

Faculty of Law

Universiti Teknologi MARA Shah Alam

Selangor, Malaysia

Wednesday, 13 September 2023

Note that I am the corresponding author for the IMSML Website Articles. My official email address is: uijoo310@uitm.edu.my