Amendments to the Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic (FAL)

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Amendments to the FAL Convention will enter into force on 1 January 2018

  • Published:
  • Author: Panos Mouratidis

The FAL Convention main objectives are to prevent unnecessary delays in maritime traffic, to aid co-operation between Governments and secure the highest practicable degree of uniformity in formalities and other procedures. In particular, the Convention reduces the number of declarations which can be required by public authorities.

The FAL Convention contains ‘Standards’ and ‘Recommended Practices’ on formalities, documentary requirements and procedures which should be applied on arrival, stay and departure of the ship itself, and of its crew, passengers, baggage and cargo.

Additionally, FAL Convention provides for documents which public authorities can demand of a ship and recommends the maximum information and number of copies which should be required. IMO has developed Standardized Forms for seven of these documents which are the following: IMO General Declaration, Cargo Declaration, Ship’s Stores Declaration, Crew’s Effects Declaration, Crew List, Passenger List and Dangerous Goods.

FAL Convention Amendments which will enter into force on 1 January 2018 introduce:

– New definitions for Cargo Transport Unit (CTU), Clearance, Freight Container, International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code, Master, Ship agent, Shipper and Single Window.

-Electronic exchange of information which will be mandatory from 9 April 2019 with a transition period of no less than 12 months. Public authorities shall take all necessary measures for the establishment of related systems.

-The use of “Single Window” systems as a mechanism that allows submission of standardized information covered by the Convention to a single entry point.

-Three additional documents for ship’s clearance that may be required by the shore authorities such as: Security-related information as required under SOLAS regulation XI-2/9.2.2, Advance electronic cargo information for customs risk assessment purposes and Advanced Notification Form for Waste Delivery to Port Reception Facilities.

-Additional guarantees which are related to the shore leave of crew members.

-All IMO FAL forms, with the exception of Ship’s Stores Declaration (IMO FAL Form 3), have been revised.

Source: Resolution FAL.12(40)

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