IMO recommendations on preparation for the audits under the IMO member state audit scheme (IMSAS)

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) strives to ensure that each of the 175 Member States properly implements and enforces its mandatory documents relating to maritime safety. In order to assist IMO Member States in this task, IMO has developed the IMO Member State Audit Scheme (IMSAS), under which each IMO Member State is audited periodically in order to assess the degree of compliance with applicable requirements. The IMO audit scheme has had a mandatory status since 2016, and over the past 8 years IMO has accumulated a wealth of experience in conducting and organizing those audits. This experience forms ground for the Member State Guidelines to assist in the preparation for the audit under the IMO Member State Audit Scheme (IMSAS), a supporting document aimed at providing States with guidelines and recommendations on the preparation and passing of IMSAS audits. The Guidelines are currently in the final stage of development in the Subcommittee on the Implementation of IMO instruments (III Subcommittee), their adoption is planned by the IMO Assembly in 2023. In this article, the Guidelines have been examined in detail, the background and prerequisites for their development have been shown, the structure, composition, purpose have been considered, the document as a whole has been assessed from the point of view of achieving the goals set in it. Conclusions have been discussed on the most relevant areas of improvement of the IMSAS framework and its explanatory guidelines, with a view to better implementation and enforcement of IMO instruments. Measures have been proposed to improve the IMO Member State Audit Scheme both in general and in the implementation of its provisions within a single Member State.

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3. IMO Assembly Resolution A.1067(28). Framework and procedures for the IMO member State audit scheme.

4. IMO Assembly Resolution A.1070(28). IMO Instruments Implementation Code (III Code).

5. Draft guidance in relation to IMSS to assist in the implementation of the III Code. Document III 8/9. 27.05.2022.

6. IMO Circular Letter No.3547. Auditor's Manual for the IMO Member State Audit Scheme (IMSAS). 08.05.2015.

7. 2021 non-exhaustive list of obligations under instruments relevant to the IMO Instruments Implementation code (III Code). IMO Assembly Resolution A.1157(32).

8. IMO Circular Letter No.3772. 4 September 2017. IMO Member State Audit Scheme — Consolidated Audit Summary Report (CASR).

9. IMO Circular Letter No.3879.

10. October 2018. IMO Member State Audit Scheme — Consolidated Audit Summary Report (CASR).

11. IMO Circular Letter No.4028.

12. September 2019. IMO Member State Audit Scheme — Consolidated Audit Summary Report (CASR).

13. IMO Circular Letter No.4317. 15 September 2020. IMO Member State Audit Scheme — Consolidated Audit Summary Report (CASR).

14. IMO Circular Letter No.4442. 1 October 2021. IMO Member State Audit Scheme — Consolidated Audit Summary Report (CASR).