BLG 4/18
ANNEX 15
STATEMENT BY THE DELEGATION OF VENEZUELA
The delegations of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador. Mexico. Panama, Peru. Spain, Uruguay and Venezuela have noted with grave concern a serious omission from the revision of Annexes I and II of MARPOL 73/78. Aware of the need to maintain proper exchange of information and to help prevent pollution of the marine environment, therefore, they declare it to be a matter of the greatest importance to include the use of the Spanish language in International Oil Pollution Prevention Certificates (regulation 9 of Annex I of MARPOL 73/78), in entries in Oil Record Books (regulation 31 of Annex I of MARPOL 73/78) in International Pollution Prevention Certificates for the Carriage of Noxious Liquid Substances in Bulk (regulation 10 of Annex II of MARPOL 73/78), and in Cargo Record Books (regulation 16 of Annex II of MARPOL 73/78).
This statement is made for the following reasons:
1 The Spanish language has always been closely linked with the sea. Throughout its development, it has been enriched by countless words and meanings from the most ancient traditions of seafaring. Suffice it to think for a moment of that tremendous enterprise that revealed the true dimensions of the world to its peoples - the discovery of America, which was financed and given impetus by the monarchs of Castile and Aragon, the Spain of today.
2 From the practical standpoint, there are seventeen countries on the continent of America which have Spanish as their only official language. There are commercial sea routes between these countries, clearly international, and it is therefore illogical and impracticable for the inspectors of these States to be obliged to examine the documents and books of their own vessels in French or English when it would be quicker and more efficient to do so in their own language, Spanish.
3 It is relevant to mention the existence of other similar documents in force which provide for the use of Spanish as in regulation 8 of Annex VI of MARPOL 73/78. It is inconsistent that what is provided for in Annex VI should not be provided for in other Annexes of the same Convention.
4 Spanish like English and French, is one of the six official languages and one of the three working languages of our Organization, as provided for in article 29 of the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly and article 27 of the Rules of Procedure of the Council. It is also one of the six official languages and one of the three working languages of the Marine Environment Protection Committee, as provided for in article 23 of its Rules of Procedure. There are similar provisions in the rules of procedure of all the other committees of the International Maritime Organization. This shows that the problem is a technical, legal, administrative, not a political one. Issuing certificates and filling in record books in Spanish has no economic consequences for the Organization, and involves no additional expenditure for Member States.
For these reasons, and many others, the delegations that have signed this statement, which they ask to be included in the final report, consider that the use of Spanish in addition to English and French, in the certificates and record books mentioned in the Annexes to MARPOL 73/78, will make a significant contribution both to recognition of a right that underlies the principles of international co-operation and goodwill supporting the philosophy of our Organization's technical and legal structure, and to the joint efforts of Member States to arrest the degradation of the marine environment and so hand down to future generations a better world in which to live.
