THE ASSEMBLY,
RECALLING Article 15(j) of the Convention on the International Maritime Organization concerning the functions of the Assembly in relation to regulations and guidelines concerning maritime safety, the prevention and control of marine pollution from ships and other matters concerning the effect of shipping on the marine environment,
RECALLING ALSO resolution A.962(23) by which it adopted the IMO Guidelines on Ship Recycling with the aim of providing guidance for the involved stakeholders as to "best practice", which takes into account the ship recycling process throughout the life cycle of the ship,
RECALLING FURTHER resolution A.980(24) by which it adopted amendments to the IMO Guidelines on Ship Recycling (resolution A.962(23)),
NOTING the roles of the International Labour Organization and the Basel Convention on matters related to ship recycling,
RECOGNIZING the urgent need for the Organization to contribute to the development of an effective solution to the issue of ship recycling that will minimize, in the most effective, efficient and sustainable way, the environmental, occupational, health and safety risks related to ship recycling, taking into account at the same time the particular characteristics of world maritime transport and the need for securing the smooth withdrawal of ships that have reached the end of their operating lives,
CONSIDERING that the above-mentioned objective may best be achieved by establishing a new IMO instrument with a view to providing legally binding and globally applicable ship recycling regulations for international shipping and for ship recycling facilities,
RECOGNIZING ALSO the significant progress made by the Marine Environment Protection Committee, at its fifty-third session, in considering the development of the appropriate mandatory requirements on ship recycling, including a preliminary draft of a possible structure for the new instrument on ship recycling,
HAVING CONSIDERED the recommendation made by the Marine Environment Protection Committee at its fifty-third session,
- REQUESTS the Marine Environment Protection Committee to develop a new legally binding instrument on ship recycling that would provide regulations for:
- the design, construction, operation and preparation of ships so as to facilitate safe and environmentally sound recycling, without compromising the safety and operational efficiency of ships;
- the operation of ship recycling facilities in a safe and environmentally sound manner; and
- the establishment of an appropriate enforcement mechanism for ship recycling (certification/reporting requirements);
- REQUESTS ALSO the Marine Environment Protection Committee to work towards completion of the above-mentioned draft instrument in time for its consideration and adoption in the biennium 2008-2009;
- REQUESTS FURTHER the Marine Environment Protection Committee to continue co-operating with the International Labour Organization and the appropriate bodies of the Basel Convention in this field with the aim of avoiding duplication of work and overlapping of responsibilities and competencies between the three Organizations;
- URGES Governments and all involved stakeholders, in the meantime, to apply the IMO Guidelines on Ship Recycling without delay.