RECALLING Article 28(b) of the Convention on the International
Maritime Organization concerning the functions of the Committee,
RECALLING FURTHER article VI of the Protocol of 1988 relating
to the International Convention on Load Lines, 1966 (hereinafter referred
to as “the 1988 Load Lines Protocol”) concerning amendment
procedures,
HAVING CONSIDERED, at its seventy-seventh session, amendments
to the 1988 Load Lines Protocol proposed and circulated in accordance
with paragraph 2(a) of article VI thereof,
1. ADOPTS, in accordance with paragraph 2(d) of
article VI of the 1988 Load Lines Protocol, amendments to Annex B
to the 1988 Load Lines Protocol, the text of which is set out in the
Annex to the present resolution;
2. DETERMINES, in accordance with paragraph 2(f)(ii)(bb)
of article VI of the 1988 Load Lines Protocol, that the said amendments
shall be deemed to have been accepted on 1 July 2004, unless, prior
to that date, more than one third of the Parties to the 1988 Load
Lines Protocol or Parties the combined merchant fleets of which constitute
not less than 50% of the gross tonnage of all the merchant fleets
of all Parties, have notified their objections to the amendments;
3. INVITES the Parties concerned to note that,
in accordance with paragraph 2(g)(ii) of article VI of the 1988 Load
Lines Protocol, the amendments shall enter into force on 1 January
2005, upon their acceptance in accordance with paragraph 2 above;
4. REQUESTS the Secretary-General, in conformity
with paragraph 2(e) of article VI of the 1988 Load Lines Protocol,
to transmit certified copies of the present resolution and the text
of the amendments contained in the Annex to all Parties to the 1988
Load Lines Protocol;
5. FURTHER REQUESTS the Secretary-General to transmit
copies of this resolution and its Annex to Members of the Organization
which are not Parties to the 1988 Load Lines Protocol.