MEPC.23765-1

RESOLUTION MEPC.237(65)(Adopted on 17 May 2013)CODE FOR RECOGNIZED ORGANIZATIONS(RO CODE)RESOLUTION MEPC.237(65)(Adopted on 17 May 2013)CODE FOR RECOGNIZED ORGANIZATIONS(RO CODE)THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION COMMITTEE,RECALLING Article 38(a)of the Convention on the International Maritime Organizationconcerning the functions of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (the Committee)conferred upon it by international conventions for the prevention and control of marinepollution,RECALLING ALSO resolution A.739(18)entitled Guidelines for the authorization oforganizations acting on behalf of the Administration and resolution A.789(19)entitledSpecifications on the survey and certification functions of recognized organizations acting onbehalf of the Administration,which have become mandatory under both chapter 2 of annex Iand chapter 3 of annex ll to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution fromShips,1973,as modified by the Protocol of 1978 relating hereto (MARPOL),and underthe 1974 SOLAS Convention and the 1988 Load Lines Protocol,RECOGNIZING the need to update the aforementioned resolutions,gather all the applicablerequirements for recognized organizations in a single IMO mandatory and assist in achievingharmonized and consistent global implementation of requirements established byIMO instruments for the assessment and authorization of recognized organizations,RECOGNIZING ALSO the need for a code to provide,as far as national laws allow,a standard approach to assist the Administrations in meeting their responsibilities inrecognizing,authorizing and monitoring their recognized organizations,NOTING resolution MEPC.238(65),by which it adopted,inter alia,amendments toAnnexes I and ll of the Protocol of 1978 relating to the International Convention for thePrevention of Pollution from Ships,1973(hereafter referred to as the 1978 Protocol)to makethe provisions of part 1 and part 2 of the Code for recognized organizations (RO Code)mand atory under MARPOL.HAVING CONSIDERED,at its sixty-fifth session,the text of the proposed Code forrecognized organizations,CONSIDERING that it is highly desirable for the Code for recognized organizations to bemade mandatory under the 1974 SOLAS Convention,the 1988 Load Lines Protocol andMARPOL to remain identical,1.ADOPTS the Code for recognized organizations,the text of which is set out in theannex to the present resolution;2.INVITES all Parties to the 1978 Protocol to note that the RO Code will take effecton 1 January 2015 upon the entry into force of the respective amendments to Annex I andAnnex ll of MARPOL;8REQUESTS the Secretary-General to transmit certified copies of the presentresolution and the text of the RO Code contained in the annex to all Parties tothe 1978 Protocol:4.FURTHER REQUESTS the Secretary-General to transmit copies of this resolutionand the annex to all Members of the Organization which are not Parties to the 1978 Protocol;RECOMMENDS Governments concerned to use the recommenda