Subject: Utilisation of maritime document as transport document for short-distance trips following unloading of vessel.

The ports in China, for example, are sometimes two and three times more efficient in loading and unloading their boats than we are, in terms of the time it takes for the containers to find their way onto the boat and out to sea.

2. The competent authority shall inspect the following before and during any loading/unloading of livestock vessels to ensure that:

Terminal representatives must report to the harbour master any damage to a vessel or its equipment during loading or unloading.

The purpose of this proposal is to: - impose, as of 1 January 1998, the provisions of the Torremolinos Convention of 1977 and its 1993 Protocol to fishing vessels flying the flag of a Member State of a length of 24 metres and above, as well as to fishing vessels of a third country operating in the internal waters or territorial seas of a Member State or landing their catch in a port of a Member State; this Protocol concerns, in particular, the certification, construction and equipment, stability, machinery installations, fire protection, protection of the crew, life-saving appliances, emergency procedures, radio-communications and navigational equipme ...[+++]nt of fishing vessels; - extend, to fishing vessels between 24 and 45 metres in length built after 1 January 1998, the requirements of the Torremolinos Convention that only apply to vessels of more than 45 metres; - impose certain general and regional additional requirements over and above those of the Torremolinos Protocol; - to have a committee procedure used to adopt harmonized interpretations for the 200 provisions of the Protocol providing for a discretionary decision by the contracting parties.

3. Each Party shall grant, inter alia, a treatment no less favourable than that accorded to its own ships, for ships operated by nationals or companies of the other Party, and for ships registered in the territory of either party, with respect to access to ports, the use of infrastructure and auxiliary maritime services of those ports, as well as related fees and charges, customs facilities and the assignment of berths and facilities for loading and unloading.