Textbook of Maritime Medicine

Although not a true international organization, the European Maritime Safety Agency deserves to be mentioned in this context. It is a supranational organization within the European Union. As such its activity has impact on shipping both strictly within the EU and for trade where ports of call are within the EU.

4.7.1   EMSA Mandate and Organization

EMSA is set up under the Regulation (EC) No 1406/2002 of 27 June 2002, as amended by Regulations (EC) 1644/2003, 724/2004 and 2038/2006. 

EU activities on this field started, however, some times before the establishment of EMSA, starting with the Directive 79/115/EEC as early as in 1978.

According to EMSAs own description:

“the Agency's main objective is to provide technical and scientific assistance to the European Commission and Member States in the proper development and implementation of EU legislation on maritime safety, pollution by ships and security on board ships. To do this, one of EMSA's most important supporting tasks is to improve cooperation with, and between, Member States in all key areas. In addition, the Agency has operational tasks in oil pollution preparedness, detection and response.  As a body of the European Union, the Agency sits at the heart of the EU maritime safety network and collaborates with many industry stakeholders and public bodies, in close cooperation with the European Commission.”[1]

EMSA is focusing on strengthening of the Port State Control regime; auditing of the Community-recognised classification societies; development of a common methodology for the investigation of maritime accidents and; the establishment of a Community vessel traffic monitoring and information system.

The headquarters are in Lisboa, Portugal, and by 2009 it has over 200 staff members. After being internally reorganized in June 2008, EMSA now has three different departments: A: Corporate Services; B: Implementation and; C: Operations

4.7.2   EMSA Activities

EMSA has a lot of activities that has an impact on different aspects of maritime health, like regulations and recommendations for the training of seafarers, maritime security, port reception facilities, ship safety and marine equipment and others.

By June 2009 there is about 75 Directives, Regulations and Decisions from the EU within the area of maritime safety.

Especially the Council Directive 92/29/EEC of 31 March 1992 on the minimum safety and health requirements for improved medical treatment on board vessels is an important document for professionals working in the field of maritime medicine.

Other Directives of importance to maritime safety and health concerns

1. the implementation of minimum safety and health requirements at temporary or mobile constructions sites[2],

2. on the minimum requirements for the provision of safety and/or health signs at work[3],

3. on the introduction of measures to encourage improvements in the safety and healt at work of pregnant workers who have recently given birth or are breastfeeding[4],

4. concerning the minimum safety and health requirements for work on board fishing vessels[5]

5. and on the minimum health and safety requirements regarding the exposure of workers to the risks arising from physical agents (electromagnetic fields)[6].

It is beyond the scope of this chapter to deal in detail with these documents, but they will be discussed in more detail in Chapter 5, dealing with the international conventions and other regulations.

[1] http://www.emsa.europa.eu/end179d002.html

[2] Council Directive 92/57/EEC of 24 June 1992

[3] Council Directive 92/58/EEC of 24 June 1992

[4] Council Directive 92/85/EEC of 19 October 1992

[5] Council Directive 93/103/EC of 23 November 1993

[6] DIRECTIVE 2004/40/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

of 29 April 2004