THERE's less than one month left to provide comments to the International Maritime organisation (IMO) on the administrative burdens that may result from compliance with IMO instruments, with a six-month consultation period ending on October 31.

So far the majority of responses are pertaining to SOLAS and safety requirements concerning ship management and crew, reports the American Journal of Transportation (AJOT).

Said IMO secretary general Koji Sekimizu: "I would urge as many people as possible to take part in this consultation, as only with a strong set of data can we meaningfully identify where changes may be necessary."

The intention is to gather data from a broad spectrum of stakeholders from which recommendations on how to alleviate administrative burdens can be developed. The IMO recognises that some administrative requirements contained in IMO instruments may have become unnecessary, disproportionate or even obsolete, and is committed to reducing their impact.

The consultation process is being carried out through a dedicated website: http://www.imo.org/OurWork/rab.

At the end of the consultation process, a steering group established by the IMO Council will analyse the responses to identify those administrative requirements that are perceived as burdens, and will make recommendations to the Council on how to address these issues.