President Director of Biro Klasifikasi Indonesia Rudiyanto who is also the Chairman of the Asian Classification Societies (ACS) together with the ACS Secretary Kim Tae Woo, and the ACS Technical Management Group (TMG) Chairman Sjaifuddin Tahir attend the 24th Asian Shipowners Forum (ASF) meeting in Jeju Island, South Korea, 18-20 May 2015. Issues becoming major concern in this year ASF annual meeting including the increase number of ship piracy and arm robbery in Asia, especially in Malacca and Singapore Straits and in the Vietnam waters.

Either ACS or BKI have the same view on the need to improve the safety and security of ships and to urge common attempt among Asian countries and shipowners to avoid this piracy and arm robbery crime.

Relating with this issue, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has ratified regulations on ships and port facilities security which widely known as the International Ships and Port Security Core (ISPS-Code). BKI in this regard, has been appointed by the Indonesian Government through the Directorate General of Sea Transportation as one of the Recognized Security Organization (RSO) authorized to conduct audit and certification of ISPS-Code for ships and as consultant for port facilities.

According to the provisions of the ISPS-Code any vessel sailing internationally required to have Ship Security Plan that must be audited before the issuance of International Ship Security Certificate (ISSC) as it had been conducted by BKI for Indonesian flagged vessels sailing overseas.

Other issues discussed is the implementation of Maritime Labor Conference 2006 which set the minimum requirements that must be met for a decent life on board, ship recycling issue and ship ballast water management.

Related to the ship recycling, ACS Environment Working Group has prepared Material and Supplier Declaration guidelines in accordance with MD/SDoC format which also already been published on the ACS website as the owners and vessel operators reference on the implementation of the International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, (the Hong Kong Convention).

The Hong Kong convention aimed at ensuring that ships, when recycled after reaching the end of the period of operation, do not carry unnecessary risk to human health, safety, and environment.

Along with the Hong Kong Convention, BKI actively supports of the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Transportation to develop rules and guidelines for the implementation of environmentally friendly ships recycling in Indonesia.

On the issue of the implementation of the MLC 2006, BKI has been since its inception following the development of this convention, and also becoming one of the first to send its staff to participate in a Training of Trainer program organized by ILO and held internal auditors training. BKI is now ready to carry out the audit and certification related to this labor convention implementation.

Through this ASF 2015 opportunity ACS also suggests that Statement of Compliance issued by the Recognized Organization (RO) designated by the ship’s flag State with regard to MLC 2006 can be accepted by the Port State Control (PSC) or the Ports Authority of other countries around the world.

Associated with ship ballast water management, ACS has prepared a procurement and installation manual of ship ballast water management system which has also been published in the website that can be used by the owners, ship operators and shipyards to determine the most appropriate system suitable for the new building vessels and those already in operation. **