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The development of the first Comprehensive Manual on Port Reception Facilities was agreed at the thirty second session of the Maritime Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in March 1992.

One of the most critical factors influencing the success of the IWP pilot projects has been the choice of sites. Communities that choose to be involved in the project were committed to the process from the outset. In contrast, in communities that did not initiate their own involvement — some did not ask for "expressions of interest", and in some instances the decision about the location of pilot initiatives was politically motivated — it took considerable time for the National Coordinators to convince the community that being involved in the IWP initiative was worthwhile. Two key lessons can be drawn from the initial engagement with pilot communities: pilot sites should be chosen carefully and efforts should be made to not give communities false expectations.