Iraq deposits Load Lines Convention, completing ratification of maritime protocols
Shafaq News/ Iraq has deposited its ratification of the Load Lines Convention with the International Maritime Organization (IMO), completing its accession to all recognized maritime agreements and protocols, the General Company for Ports of Iraq (GCPI) said on Friday.
"Iraq has deposited the Load Lines Convention with the IMO, reaffirming its commitment to international standards," Farhan Al-Fartousi, the company’s director general, told Shafaq News. "This step means Iraq has now ratified all agreements and protocols mandated under the organization's mandatory audit scheme for member states."
According to Al-Fartousi, Baghdad is also set to undergo the IMO’s mandatory audit (IMSAS) in November. During this audit, experts from the organization will assess the country’s compliance with international maritime conventions.
"The audit aims to reinstate Iraq on the IMO’s whitelist of compliant member states, enhancing its global standing and demonstrating its full commitment to environmental and maritime objectives," he said.
On Feb. 11, Iraq’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that as part of ongoing efforts by the Embassy in the UK and the Maritime Attaché, Iraq’s Permanent Mission to the IMO has deposited the 1966 Load Lines Convention and its 1988 Protocol with the IMO Secretariat, following the completion of legislative procedures.
Over the past two years, Iraq has ratified eighteen maritime conventions and protocols, with the latest being the 1966 Load Lines Convention. In addition, several workshops and training programs have been organized for experts from relevant maritime authorities. With this, Iraq has finalized its accession to all key maritime agreements in preparation for the mandatory IMO Member State Audit Scheme (IMSAS) scheduled for November. The audit will assess Iraq’s maritime sector under the supervision of IMO experts, as part of efforts to reinstate Iraq on the IMO’s White List of compliant member states.
