IMO held an intersessional meeting from 11 to 15 February 2002 to discuss matters relevant to maritime security (Intersessional Working Group of the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) on Maritime Security = ISWG). ISWG initiated measures such as acceleration of AIS requirements which are to be introduced as given hereunder.

1 AIS and its installation requirements (adopted as SOLAS 2000 amendments)
The amendments to the SOLAS convention adopted in 2000 (MSC.99(73)) required AIS (Automatic Identification System) as one of the new items of navigational equipment required on board ships upon conducting comprehensive review of SOLAS Chapter V. An AIS is a device which indicates the ship's identity automatically, by transmitting the ship's name, speed, course etc to ships and coastal radio VTS stations in the vicinity automatically. The device will be required to be carried onboard

(a) New ships
(I) Passenger ships regardless of their size
(ii) Cargo ship of 300 gt and over engaged on international voyages
(iii) Cargo ships of 500 gt and over not engaged on international voyages.
(b) Existing ships:
(I) Passenger ships engaged on international voyages by 1 July 2003
(ii) Tankers engaged on international voyages by the first survey
after 1 July 2003
(iii) Other ships engaged on international voyages
- 50,000 gt and over by 1 July 2004
- 10,000 gt and over (less than (a)) by 1 July 2005
- 3,000 gt and over (less than (a)(b)) by 1 July 2006
- less than 3,000 gt but 300 gt and over by 1 July 2007
(iv) The following ships not engaged on international voyages by 1 July 2008
- Passenger ships
- Other ships of 500 gt and over


(To be continued)
2 Accelerated scheme of installation requirements
The above requirement's will enter into force on 1 July 2002, as there was no significant opposition expressed by 1 January 2002.

Following the terrorist attack that took place in the United States in September 2001, IMO started a discussion on maritime security, AISs inter alia, were considered as a very useful tool for eradicating terrorist attacks on a ship. For this reason, a drastic acceleration of the installation schedule of AIS was proposed. At an early point in the discussion, concerns were raised over the availability of the device if such acceleration is undertaken, however, as a representative of manufacturers (CIRM) indicated a positive view on the supplies of the device, the ISWG conceded amendments to the convention as follows:
- ships of 500 gt and over engaged on international voyages will be required to install an AIS by 31 December 2004 (the date is subject to further consideration). (also, whether installation must be done by the date or at the first survey after the date is still under consideration);
- application to ships not engaged on international voyages will be left to the discretion of flag State Administration; and
- the technical specification will be finalised at NAV Sub-Committee prior to the Conference scheduled in December 2002.

According to sources, there is a port authority already requiring installation of AIS from January 2003 (St Lawrence Seaway), this issue should be monitored with concern.

3 Other measures
The following measures are also under consideration. Measures may be implemented as a mandatory code being referred to by the SOLAS chapter XI. Further details, including application to the offshore structures etc, will be further discussed. The amendments to the