EXPERTS GROUPS ON MARITIME SAFETY TERMS OF REFERENCE

In compliance with the decision of APEC Transport Ministers in Victoria in June 1997 to establish an Experts Group on Maritime Safety.

To address maritime safety concerns in the Region

The Group's objective will be

to identify maritime safety problems in the Region and propose recommendations for improvement.

The Group's activities will include:

1. The identification of issues, the resolution of which would promote maritime safety in the Region.

2. In respect of each issue to:

• identify and establish a clear definition of the safety problem, its nature and scope including whether it is of general or of limited application;

• determine whether it is of high, moderate or low impact on maritime safety; and

• make recommendations to Ministers on options available to eliminate or minimize the safety problem and promote safety.

3. In developing its recommendations, the Group shall:

• avoid duplication by considering work already in progress or contemplated by other international inter-governmental or non- governmental organisations; and

• develop programs and mechanisms to promote the implementation of, and compliance with, applicable international rules and standards.

METHODOLOGY

4. The Group shall be guided by the fundamental principle that its work emphasizes cooperation between and amongst economies.

5. Given the desire to complement the work of other maritime organisations , as noted in the Transport Ministers' Joint Statement, the Group should focus primarily on the underlying economic and legal factors which contribute to the issues identified by the Group.

6. During 1998, work will be scheduled and undertaken on:

• the identification, assessment, and prioritization of issues and problems;

• a description of any related work underway (in order to prevent duplication);

• descriptions of maritime safety, institutional arrangements in member economies, and

• proposals, as appropriate, for the resolution of problems.

7. Consultation and cooperation with relevant international intergovernmental and non-governmentai organisations will be encouraged.

8. All member economies should be encouraged to attend and participate in meetings of the Group, to be held in conjunction with meetings of the Transportation Working Group, and should, where possible, ensure that they are represented by delegates from their competent authorities.

1 October 1997 (Rev. 3)

This page was last updated on 15 February 2000