The IAPH Risk and Resilience Committee met virtually on 19 September. The highlight of the meeting was the presence of the Belgian minister of justice and the North Sea, Vincent Van Quickenborne, who addressed the committee on the topic of illicit trade and organised crime. Belgium is leading a proposal to be submitted at IMO MSC 108 next spring for revising and extending the scope of the ISPS Code to make illegal actions part of the respective impact assessments and ensure a robust global framework and level playing field. During his intervention, the minister called for IAPH support in contributing and co-sponsoring the proposal. Belgium is working closely with many IMO Member States on this as well as with the major shipping industry associations. The draft text will be shared with IAPH for feedback and for considering co-sponsoring in the coming weeks. During the Q&A and discussion that followed, members had a positive initial reaction and committed to review the draft text and consider IAPH support to the proposal. The links were also made with the parallel ongoing dialogue between the Data Collaboration Committee and various Member States and organisations towards the direction of enhancing the cybersecurity provisions of the ISPS Code, and the earlier relevant IAPH submission to MSC 107. Overall, members agreed that illicit trade and organised crime is a topic that the committee should continue examining closely in its effort to enhance world ports resilience. Further to this item, professor Theo Notteboom presented and discussed with the members the outcomes of the fifth edition of the World Ports Tracker and received feedback on current challenges and the way forward. The new format for running the technical committee meeting targets a more in-depth discussion and exchange on a fewer number of topics. This was tested during this meeting and it was welcomed by and large by the members as a positive change. It was agreed to hold another online committee meeting in 2023, scheduled as appropriate to timely align the committee’s views and decisions with the forthcoming proposals for revising the ISPS Code.
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Minister Van Quickenborne intervening online at the IAPH Risk and Resilience Committee
from the UN General Assembly meeting in New York
