IMO Conventions – Basic
The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) is a specialised agency of the United
Nations responsible for regulating shipping. The IMO has developed several
conventions aimed at improving safety at sea, preventing marine pollution, and
ensuring fair and efficient shipping. Here's a list of key IMO conventions:
1. SOLAS (International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea)
Adopted: 1914 (revised versions in 1960, 1974, and updated regularly)
Purpose: Ensures ship safety, including construction, equipment, and operation
standards.
Key Provisions:
o Requirements for life-saving appliances, fire protection, radio
communications, and navigation.
o International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code.
2. MARPOL (International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from
Ships)
Adopted: 1973, with the Protocol of 1978.
Purpose: Prevent pollution from ships due to oil, chemicals, sewage, garbage,
and air emissions.
Key Provisions:
o Includes six annexes covering pollution from oil, noxious liquids, harmful
substances, sewage, garbage, and air pollution.
3. STCW (International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification,
and Watchkeeping for Seafarers)
Adopted: 1978 (amended in 1995 and 2010)
Purpose: Sets qualification standards for masters, officers, and watch personnel
on seagoing merchant ships.
Key Provisions: Training, certification, and watchkeeping requirements.
4. COLREG (International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea)
Adopted: 1972
Purpose: Establishes "rules of the road" to prevent ship collisions.
Key Provisions: Navigational rules, including lights, shapes, and signals.
5. LOAD LINE (International Convention on Load Lines)
Adopted: 1966
Purpose: Ensures ships maintain safe levels of buoyancy and stability by
marking the maximum depth a ship can safely be loaded.
Key Provisions: Requirements for freeboard, watertight integrity, and load
lines.
6. SAR (International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue)
Adopted: 1979
Purpose: Establishes international procedures for maritime search and rescue
operations.
Key Provisions: Standardizes search and rescue procedures for ships and
coastal states.
7. FAL (Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic)
Adopted: 1965
Purpose: Simplifies and reduces formalities in international shipping to facilitate
global trade.
Key Provisions: Standardized forms for customs and immigration procedures.
8. AFS (International Convention on the Control of Harmful Anti-Fouling
Systems on Ships)
Adopted: 2001
Purpose: Bans the use of harmful anti-fouling paints and systems on ships.
Key Provisions: Prohibits harmful biocides, like tributyltin (TBT), in anti-fouling
paints.
9. BWM (International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships'
Ballast Water and Sediments)
Adopted: 2004
Purpose: Prevents the transfer of invasive aquatic species through ships' ballast
water.
Key Provisions: Requires ships to manage their ballast water and sediments to
avoid environmental damage.
10. Nairobi WRC (Nairobi International Convention on the Removal of Wrecks)
Adopted: 2007
Purpose: Provides a legal framework for removing wrecks that pose a danger to
navigation or the marine environment.
Key Provisions: Coastal states can take action to remove hazardous wrecks
within their exclusive economic zones (EEZ).
11. HNS Convention (International Convention on Liability and Compensation
for Damage in Connection with the Carriage of Hazardous and Noxious
Substances by Sea)
Adopted: 1996
Purpose: Provides a compensation mechanism for incidents involving hazardous
and noxious substances carried by sea.
Key Provisions: Liability and compensation in the event of pollution or accidents
involving hazardous cargo.
12. LLMC (Convention on Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims)
Adopted: 1976 (amended in 1996)
Purpose: Limits the liability of shipowners for maritime claims, such as damage
or loss.
Key Provisions: Establishes limits on liability for claims for loss of life, personal
injury, and property damage.
13. MLC (Maritime Labour Convention)
Adopted: 2006
Purpose: Protects the rights and working conditions of seafarers.
Key Provisions: Addresses conditions of employment, health protection,
welfare, and social security for seafarers.
These conventions form the backbone of international maritime law and are critical to
promoting safe and sustainable shipping practices worldwide. Many of these
conventions are updated regularly through amendments to adapt to new technological
and environmental challenges.
