Pacific Region to Enhance Maritime Traffic

To help increase ratification of the FAL Convention and improve understanding of its requirements, two National Seminars on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic have been delivered by International Maritime Organization (IMO), in cooperation with the Pacific Community (SPC), in Tarawa, Kiribati (14-16 November) and in Honiara, the Solomon Islands (20-22 November).

"When the communication between ships and port is smoothly run, shipments move more quickly, more easily and more efficiently. This is where IMO’s Facilitation (FAL) Convention comes in," said a press note from IMO.

Twenty-one participants from public authorities, agencies and private stakeholders attended the seminar in Kiribati, which was organized by IMO and the Ministry of Information, Communication, Transport & Tourism Development.

Thirty participants attended the seminar held in the Solomon Islands, which was organized by IMO and the Solomon Islands Ports Authority.

What is FAL? When a ship comes in to port it may be the end of a voyage but it’s just the beginning of a whole range of administrative tasks that need to be done.

Customs declarations for cargo and ships’ stores; immigration clearance for crew and passengers and their baggage; import and export permits: these are just the tip of the iceberg. And when the ship leaves, it’s the same process all over again.

"This is what we call Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic – or FAL for convenience," said IMO.