[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 99 (Tuesday, May 22, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 28213]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-12852]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Notice Number 3667]


Shipping Coordinating Committee; International Maritime 
Organization Legal Committee; Notice of Meetings

    The Shipping Coordinating Committee (SHC) will conduct open 
meetings between June and October, 2001, to assist in formulating the 
United States position on International Maritime Organization (IMO) 
Legal Committee negotiations of a draft protocol to the Athens 
Convention Relating to the Carriage of Passengers and Their Luggage by 
Sea, 1974 (draft Athens protocol), and also to prepare for other items 
on the agenda of the eighty-third session of the Legal Committee (LEG 
83). LEG 83 will meet from 8 to 12 October 2001.
    The U.S. delegation to LEG 83 will consider views on issues raised 
by the draft Athens protocol as indicated below, but will also allow 
time for discussion of other topics raised at the meetings. To submit 
views on the draft Athens protocol in advance of the scheduled 
meetings, please send them either electronically to 
[email protected] or by fax to the attention of LT Daniel J. 
Goettle at (202) 267-4496 or by mail to Commandant (G-LMI), U.S. Coast 
Guard, 2100 Second St. SW., Washington, D.C., 20593-0001, attention LT 
Daniel J. Goettle. Any written submissions may be posted at http://afls14.jag.af.mil/dscgi/ds.py/View/Collection-2640. Additionally, 
changes to the below schedule of SHC meetings will be posted on this 
site as well as published in the Federal Register. The current text of 
the draft Athens protocol can be found at: http://www.uio.no/~erikro/
WWW/corrgr/index.html.
    The following meeting schedule has been established to allow time 
for the preparation of U.S. submissions, if deemed necessary, for 
consideration of LEG 83. The IMO requires submissions of six or more 
pages to be sent no later than August 6, 2001, and submissions of less 
than six pages to be sent no later than September 10, 2001. Each 
meeting will be held at U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, 2100 Second 
Street SW., Washington, DC 20593-0001. The meetings will be held in 
room 2415 at 10:00 a.m. The SHC meeting dates and issues for discussion 
are as follows:
    June 14, 2001: The U.S. delegation will consider views on the draft 
Athens protocol liability scheme. This topic will include consideration 
of views on: liability of the carrier (Article 3); the performing 
carrier (Article 4); contributory fault (Article 6); limit of liability 
for personal injury (Article 7); and the loss of right to limit 
liability (Article 13). All article references are to the Athens 
Convention as modified by the draft Athens protocol.
    July 10, 2001: The U.S. delegation will consider views on: the 
draft Athens protocol compulsory insurance provisions (Article 4bis); 
the time-bar (Article 16); the jurisdictional provisions (Article 17); 
recognition and enforcement (Article 17bis); invalidity of contractual 
provisions (Article 18); and other conventions on limitation of 
liability (Article 19).
    August 7, 2001: The U.S. delegation will consider views on all 
other articles and any other issue raised through a written submission 
to the Coast Guard after July 10 or raised at this meeting.
    September 11, 2001: This meeting is reserved and will be held if 
necessary to discuss any further views on the draft Athens protocol.
    October 2, 2001: In addition to the draft Athens protocol, this 
meeting will consider views on the remainder of the LEG 83 agenda 
items. The other issues on the agenda are expected to include: 
development of a draft convention on wreck removal; the implementation 
of the International Convention on Liability and Compensation for 
Damage in Connection With the Carriage of Hazardous and Noxious 
Substances by Sea; and consideration of two draft resolutions submitted 
to the Legal Committee by the Joint International Maritime 
Organization/International Labor Organization Ad Hoc Expert Working 
Group on Liability and Compensation Regarding Claims for Death, 
Personal Injury and Abandonment of Seafarers, which met from 30 April 
through 4 May 2001. The first resolution provides guidelines for member 
states to ensure that shipowners have the financial means to cover 
liability for the abandonment of seafarers, and the second resolution 
provides such guidelines for the death or injury of seafarers.
    Members of the public are invited to attend the SHC meetings up to 
the seating capacity of the room. For further information, please 
contact Captain Joseph F. Ahern or Lieutenant Daniel J. Goettle, U.S. 
Coast Guard, Office of Maritime and International Law (G-LMI), 2100 
Second Street, SW., Washington, DC 20593-0001; telephone (202) 267-
1527; fax (202) 267-4496.

    Dated: May 16, 2001.
Stephen M. Miller,
Executive Secretary, Shipping Coordinating Committee, Department of 
State.
[FR Doc. 01-12852 Filed 5-21-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-07-P