The National Maritime Safety Authority is privileged for the first time to undergo a mandatory audit under the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Member State Audit Scheme (MSAS).
IMO Member States audits are carried out at seven year intervals with the objective of verifying the implementation and enforcement of applicable IMO instruments in the country.
The week-long audit took place in Port Moresby with the audit team making short regional visits to NMSA’s Lae and Kokopo offices of which IMO evaluated the extent to which PNG gives full and complete effect to relevant instruments to which it is a party.
Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Malakai Tabar ensured that Papua New Guinean as a Member State to IMO will comply, implement and enforce relevant IMO instruments in the country.
He said this during the closing of the IMO Member State Audit Scheme (IMSAS) while thanking the auditors respectively.
He added that the PNG Government will provide the support to NMSA to implement and enforce these IMO instruments in the country as theses international legislation will help promote sea safety culture as well as zero tolerance to marine pollution.
The IMO Auditors presented a Summary of Audit findings and observation to NMSA management as the Lead Auditor pointed out that the results were not about finding faults, but rather to identify areas to improve the system.