HELCOM RECOMMENDATION 23/3

Adopted 6 March 2002, having regard to Article 20, Paragraph 1b) of the Helsinki Convention

ENHANCING THE USE OF PILOTS IN ROUTE T AND THE SOUND BY NOTIFICATION TO DEPARTING SHIPS AND ESTABLISHMENT OF AN EARLY WARNING SYSTEM

THE COMMISSION,

RECALLING the adoption by the HELCOM Extraordinary Ministerial Meeting on 10 September 2001 of the “Declaration on the safety of navigation and emergency capacity in the Baltic Sea Area” (HELCOM Copenhagen Declaration), in particular Paragraph II “To enhance the use of pilotage in Route T and the Sound”,

MINDFUL that the Baltic Sea Area has been designated as a special area under Annexes I (oil), II (noxious liquid substances carried in bulk) and V (garbage) and as a SOx emission control area under Annex VI (air pollution) of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as modified by the Protocol of 1978 relating hereto,

CONSCIOUS of the sensitivity of the marine environment of the Baltic Sea Area and of the importance it represents to the people living around it, for economic, social, recreational and cultural reasons,

AWARE of the need to protect this shared resource for the benefit of present and future generations through the implementation of an integrated approach as envisaged in the concept of sustainability,

RECOGNIZING that if harmful substances are introduced to this vulnerable sea they will remain there for a long time,

NOTING with satisfaction the joint endeavours of the Baltic Sea States already undertaken as well as the work carried out within the International Maritime Organisation and the European Community,

EXPRESSING concern as to the growing density of maritime traffic in the Baltic Sea area and the accidents which have taken place,

ACKNOWLEDGING the difficulties the Baltic Sea area presents to navigation due to narrow straits, shallow depths, archipelago areas and ice cover during the winter period,

WITHOUT PREJUDICE TO international agreements and legislation of the European Community,

BEING CONVINCED of the need for additional measures in order to ensure the safety of navigation in the Baltic Sea Area,

RECOMMENDS that the Governments of the Contracting Parties establish a system whereby ships covered by IMO resolutions A.579(14) or A.620(15), upon departure from a port in the Baltic region are reminded that they are recommended to use a pilot, by use of the form attached as Annex 1,

RECOMMENDS ALSO that the corresponding Baltic port state in question informs the Danish Ministry of Defence/Admiral Danish Fleet of such ships leaving a port in the Baltic region and bound for Route T or the Sound, by using the form attached as Annex 2,

RECOMMENDS FURTHER that the Governments of the Contracting Parties implements the above mentioned measures as soon as possible, but no later than 1 January 2003 and report on the implementation of this Recommendation in accordance with Article 16, Paragraph 1 of the Helsinki Convention.

Annex 1

NOTIFICATION TO SHIPS LEAVING PORTS IN THE BALTIC SEA AREA IN ORDER TO CALL AT PORTS OUTSIDE THE AREA

About

The IMO Resolutions recommending certain ships to use pilots while navigating through the entrances to theBaltic Sea

The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has acknowledged that the entrances to the Baltic Sea are difficult to navigate, and that large ships and ships carrying dangerous goods constitute a potential danger of pollution of the entrances and the entire Baltic Sea Area. Consequently, the IMO has approved resolution A.579(14) and resolution A.620(15) calling upon masters of certain ships to make use of the pilot services provided when navigating through the entrances to the Baltic Sea.

In September 2001, the Ministers responsible for maritime shipping and the environment in the Baltic Sea States’ and a representative of the European Community agreed during a HELCOM Extraordinary Ministerial Meeting that the masters of ships covered by the above-mentioned IMO resolutions should be informed of these recommendations.

In this respect:

Resolution A.579(14) recommends that while navigating through the Sound,

• loaded oil tankers with a draft of 7 metres or more,

• loaded chemical tankers and gas carriers irrespective of size, and

• ships carrying a shipment of Irradiated Nuclear Fuel (INF) cargo

make use of the pilot services provided.

Resolution A.620(15) recommends that ships navigating through route T,

• with a draft of more than 13 m, and 

• ships carrying a shipment of Irradiated Nuclear Fuel (INF) cargo

make use of the pilot services provided.

Simultaneously, a corresponding EARLY WARNING SCHEME of such ships bound for Route T or the Sound will be forwarded by the Baltic port state in question to an appropriate body in Denmark, in order that ships not complying with these IMO Resolutions will be requested to do so. 

Annex 2

INFORMATION TO AN APPROPRIATE BODY IN DENMARK ABOUT SHIPS BOUND FOR ROUTE T OR THE SOUND AND COVERED BY IMO RESOLUTION A.579(14) AND A.620(15) (EARLY WARNING SCHEME)

In September 2001 the Ministers responsible for maritime shipping and the environment in the Baltic Sea States’ and a representative of the European Community agreed during a HELCOM Extraordinary Ministerial Meeting that the masters of ships covered by IMO Resolutions A.579(14) and A.620(15) should, on departure, be informed of the recommendations for certain ships to use pilots while navigating through the entrances to the Baltic Sea.

Simultaneously a corresponding EARLY WARNING SCHEME of such ships bound for Route T or the Sound should be filled in by the master and forwarded by the Baltic port state in question, to an appropriate body in Denmark, in order that ships not complying with these IMO recommendations will be requested to do so. 

EARLY WARNING SCHEME

Submitted by the competent Authority of:

This early warning scheme should, on departure of the corresponding ship be forwarded to the Danish Ministry of Defence/Admiral Danish Fleet  by:

E-mail:        eu-celle@sok.dk or         Fax:                 +45 89 43 32 83