Enhancing domestic ferry safety 

The International Maritime Organization (IMO), in partnership with the International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI) and World Maritime University (WMU), is carrying out a programme of work designed to make long-term improvements in domestic ferry safety, especially in high-risk Asian and African countries.

Taking IMO's model regulations for domestic ferry safety as a starting point, the programme will deliver consultations, increased awareness, understanding and buy-in with the regulations, and support with adoption, implementation, and enforcement (especially legal and technical support), including support for safety improvements via non-regulatory routes.

The ultimate beneficiaries of the project are ferry passengers and crew, who will be safer as a result. In the more immediate term, the beneficiaries are governments and other stakeholders, such as ferry companies, that will be able to access support, via the programme's activities and outputs, with planning and implementing joined-up and sustained safety improvements, often (but not exclusively) using the model regulations as a framework. IMO, WMU and IMLI will raise awareness of the project and its opportunities among its members/networks. Methods for engagement with specific activities will vary and be determined by the project board. LRF support with engaging stakeholders with the project would be welcome: its scoping work into relevant ferry organisations would be a useful tool, as would its relationship with the likes of Interferry and Worldwide Ferry Safety Association.