Lesson One

Imco's convention

The number of transport vessels has grown and is still growing now very rapidly. To avoid any perils and accidents at sea it became necessary to coordinate their activities. After the Second World War the Organization of the United Nations was faced with this problem. It worked out a special convention for creating such an organization, which was, named the Inter­governmental Maritime Consultative Organization (IMCO) (now this organization is called IMO). The Convention was approved by many countries and came in force in 1958. Nowadays more than 100 countries are the members of this Organization. IMO performs now many functions through its Committees. The main of them are: the Committee of Safety at Sea, the Committee for protecting the sea environment, the Juridical Committee and the Committee for technical cooperation. Each of these committees works out special regulations which are further discussed, completed and approved at the Assemblies or Conferences and then, on ratification by the majority of the IMO's members, become a compulsory law. Such documents as International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, International Convention on Preventing Pollution at Sea, International Regulations for Safety of Life at Sea and others are well known to all the mariners and shall be strictly obeyed in practical navigation All these regulations impose liability on shipping companies, the vessels and their crews for non-compliance of the rules. Much attention is paid now to preventing pollution at sea, as its consequences may threaten the vitally important problems of the mankind. The coast and coastal waters polluted with oil or poisonous substance may become uninhabitable or harmful not only for men, but for fish, birds, animals and other living creatures as well as vegetation.

Under Convention the countries, members of IMO, undertake to see to the effective execution of the rules. To control the strict observance of the Regulations special organizations have been established. The staff of these organizations has been established. The staff of these organizations is entitled to investigate the cause of pollution, to inspect the equipment aboard vessels and to impose a penalty for the violation of the Regulations.

Notes

to face - столкнуться

to impose - облагать

to prevent - предотвратить

to investigate - расследовать

to entitle - давать право

to be entitled - иметь право

to estimate - оценивать

to avoid - избежать

to approve - одобрять

to compete - конкурировать

peril - опасность, риск

compulsory - обязательный

liability - ответственность

non-compliance - невыполнение

violation - нарушение

consequence - последствие

vital - жизненный

mankind - человечество

pollution - загрязнение

poisonous - отравляющий, ядовитый

substance - вещество

observance - соблюдение

uninhabitabe - непригодный для жизни

harmful - вредный

staff - служащие, персонал

vegetation - растительность

penalty - штраф, наказание

Exercise I. Answer the questions:

1. Is the number of transport vessel still growing?

2. What is the total tonnage of the world's cargo vessels?

3. Why is it necessary to coordinate the activities of transport and cargo vessels?

4. What organization was forced to solve a great number of problems?

5. When did the convention come into force?

6. What are the main functions of Imo's Committees?

7. When do the Imo's regulations become a compulsory law?

8. On whom is the liability imposed for strict observance of these regulations?

9. Why is so much attention paid to prevent pollution at sea?

10. What is staff of this organization entitled to do?

Exercise II. Find the English equivalents in the text:

Чтобы избежать возможного риска и несчастных случаев; столкнуться с проблемой; защищать морскую среду; обязательный закон; должны строго соблюдаться; налагать ответственность; нарушение правил; предотвратить загрязнение моря; жизненно важные проблемы человечества; прибрежные воды; заражены нефтью и отравляющими веществами; непригодный для жизни живых существ и растений; эффективное выполнение законов; уполномочен расследовать причины загрязнения; проверять бортовое оборудование; облагать штрафом.

Exercise III. Translate into English:

1. Последствия загрязнения моря могут угрожать жизни людей, рыб, птиц, животных и других существ.

2. За нарушение правил на рыболовные компании, суда и их команду налагаются штрафы.

3. Для защиты окружающей среды учреждён комитет.

4. Специальные организации учреждены для контроля за строгим соблюдением правил.

5. Организация объединенных наций вынуждена решать большое количество проблем.

6. Сегодня более 100 стран являются членами этой организации.

Exercise IV. Retell the text in several sentences.