A commemorative postage stamp on the 10^th Anniversary (1959-69) of the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organisation (IMCO), a specialized agency of United Nations responsible for regulating shipping :

Issued by India

Issued on Oct 14, 1969

Issued for : The Posts and Telegraphs Department is happy to associate itself with these celebrations by bringing out a stamp in commemoration of the event.

Description of Design : The design of the stamp is horizontal and depicts a picture of a tanker on the sea. On the right-side, the symbol of the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organisation (IMCO) is shown.

Type : Stamp, Mint Condition

Colour : Gravure Maltese Blue 

Denomination : 20 Paise

Overall Size : 3.91 X 2.90 cms.

Printing Size : 3.56 X 2.54 cms.

Perforation : 13 x 13

Watermark : Printed on unwatermarked paper

Number Printed : 30,00,000

Number per issue Sheet : 35

Printing Process : Photogravure

Designed and Printed at : India Security Press

About : 

• The Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organisation (IMCO) is a specialised agency of the United Nations established by a convention signed at Geneva in 1948 to provide a machinery for co-operation among governments in the field of governmental regulations and practices relating to shipping and to encourage the general adoption of the highest practicable standards concerning maritime safety and efficiency of navigation, to encourage the removal of flag discrimination and to provide for exchange of information.
• IMCO Convention came into force on March 17, 1958. The first Assembly Session was held in January, 1959. The Organisation has thus completed ten years of useful work. India, as a nation, having special interest in maritime transport and navigation, is a founder-member of IMCO and has been elected member of the IMCO Council the governing body of the IMCO. In view of its growing maritime fleet, ship-building and maritime trade, the work of IMCO is of great importance to this country.
• IMCO was responsible for finalising the safety of life at sea (SOLAS) Convention replacing the 1958 Convention for ensuring increased maritime safety. This has received general acceptance and makes detailed provisions regarding construction of ships, life-saving appliances, etc.
• Another important achievement of IMCO is the finalisation of the Inter-national Convention on Load Lines, 1966. This Convention establishes uniform principles and rules with respect to the limits to which ships on international voyages may be loaded, having regard to the need for safeguarding life and property on sea. The Organisation brought about in 1962 necessary changes in the Convention on Prevention of Pollution of the Sea by Oil of 1954.
• IMCO was also responsible for the adoption of the Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic, 1965, aimed at reducing and simplifying governmental formalities, documentary requirements and procedure connected with the arrival, stay and departure of ships.
• India and other developing countries are directly concerned with the carnage of unberthed passengers including ‘Haj‘ pilgrims. Their safety and other connected problems were recently taken up by IMCO at India‘s instance. Ad hoc special committee of the Maritime Safety Committee of IMCO has been established to revise the Simla Rules, 1931.
• IMCO’s efforts to expand, and diversify its technical assistance programme has gone a long way to meet the requirements of the developing countries of the world. IMCO is increasingly playing its part in a number of problems connected with the safety and efficiency of navigation. Among other important activities of the IMCO was mentioned the Tonnage Measurement Conference in May/June, 1969 wherein a unified system of tonnage measurement of ships has been adopted. It had also a proposal to hold a legal conference in Brussels in November, 1969 to tackle problems connected with the ship casualties at high seas and oil pollution resulting from the operation of large tankers for carriage of huge quantities of oil by sea.
• The First Assembly Session of the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organisation following the 10^th Anniversary, was scheduled to be held from 15^th to 30^th October, 1969 and the Government of India, as a founder-member, was keen to celebrate the 10^th Anniversary of the Organisation in a befitting manner.

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