Legal Committee News

The Legal Committee of the IMO will meet for its 111th session at IMO Headquarters in London from April 22 to 26, 2024. The Committee deals with any legal matters within the scope of the IMO, including issues relating to liability and compensation, fair treatment of seafarers and the registration of ships. This meeting will discuss:1. Abandonment of seafarersSeafarer abandonment happens when shipowners fail to fulfil obligations to seafarers related to timely repatriation, payment of outstanding wages or salary…

The World Shipping Council (WSC) has appointed Joe Kramek as its new President and CEO, to succeed John Butler upon his retirement at the end of July.Kramek brings a wealth of experience and expertise to his new role, from both the maritime sector and government service. He has already served as the WSC's Director of U.S. Government Relations.His professional journey includes 28 years as a commissioned officer with the U.S. Coast Guard where he spent time at sea and as the Chief of Maritime, International, and Environmental Law. Notably, Kramek led the U.S.

Spain has called for tighter scrutiny of oil transfers involving tankers at sea as the number of unregulated ships hit by sanctions grows and raises pollution risks, a U.N. agency session heard this week.Hundreds of extra "ghost" tankers have joined this opaque parallel trade over the past few years as a result of rising Iranian oil exports as well as restrictions imposed on Russian energy sales over the war in Ukraine.The number of incidents last year including groundings, collisions and near misses involving these ships reached the highest in years…

The outgoing Director of the IMO International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI), Professor David Joseph Attard, has been selected by the IMO Council to be the recipient of the International Maritime Prize for 2021. Professor Attard was nominated for the award by the Republic of Malta. In the nomination, the impact that Professor Attard has had on the maritime world, particularly via his three-decade-long role at IMLI was highlighted. The Maltese national was responsible for proposing, in 1987, together with the late Dr.

The head of the United Nations' shipping agency has spoken out against “no crew change” clauses in charterparties, stating such clauses exacerbate the dire situation of stranded seafarers and undermine the efforts undertaken to resolve the ongoing crew change crisis.So-called “no crew change” clauses, which are demanded by certain charterers, state that no crew changes can occur whilst the charterer’s cargo is onboard – hence not allowing the ship to deviate to ports where crew changes could take place.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has published its remote meetings calendar for the rest of 2020 after its initial agenda of IMO Council and Committees sessions was scrapped due to the coronavirus pandemic.The first scheduled meeting is set to be a simultaneous, remote extraordinary sessions of all Committees (expected to be held 16-18 September), to address procedural matters. This follows decisions of the IMO Council's thirty second extraordinary session (summary here C.ES 32)…

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has postponed a number of meetings following the global coronavirus outbreak.London-headquartered IMO said the move takes into account the decision of the UK on March 5 to move toward the "delay" phase of its coronavirus action plan: a guide to what you can expect across the UK, similar actions adopted by other UN agencies, and the increased difficulties for delegates from IMO Member States traveling from abroad to attend IMO meetings.Specifically…

The legal committee of International Maritime Organization (IMO) will discuss a number of proposed measures to prevent fraudulent registration of ships and other deceptive shipping practices, during its 106th session (27-29 March).According to the UN body, this follows reports of fraudulent use of their flag by a number of IMO Member States.Amongst other agenda items, the Committee will consider the growing number of cases of seafarer abandonment and the orchestrated action needed to address this issue.The Committee will be updated on the latest cases and review cases which have been successfully resolved, following intervention by the IMO Secretariat…

The Russian Federation has acceded to the International Maritime Organization (IMO)  treaty dealing with compulsory insurance covering passengers on ships.According to IMO, Yury Melenas, Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to IMO, met IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim to deposit the instrument of accession (16 January).The 2002 Athens Convention relating to the Carriage of Passengers and their Luggage by Sea sets the limits of liability for incidents on a ship involving passengers, including death of or personal injury to a passenger and loss of or damage to luggage and vehicles.The Convention was adopted at a Conference…

As the International Maritime Organization (IMO) celebrates its 70th anniversary, Kitack Lim, Secretary-General, sits in his London office with a sense of satisfaction that in his two plus years at the helm of IMO tremendous strides have been made toward significant greenhouse gas emission reductions, punctuated by the recent MEPC meeting where the target was set for a 50% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2050. But the Secretary- General’s sense of satisfaction is tempered with the fact that his job has just begun and his plate is full.

Two ratifications to a key compensation treaty covering the transport of hazardous and noxious substances (HNS) by ship have brought the instrument a step closer to entry into force. Canada and Turkey on Monday (23 April) deposited their instruments of ratification to the 2010 Protocol to the International Convention on Liability and Compensation for Damage in Connection with the Carriage of Hazardous and Noxious Substances by Sea, 1996 (2010 HNS Convention). When in force, the treaty will provide a regime of liability and compensation for damage caused by HNS cargoes transported by sea, including oil and chemicals, and covers not only pollution damage, but also the risks of fire and explosion, including loss of life or personal injury as well as loss of or damage to property.

The North American Marine Environment Protection Association (NAMEPA) announced that Clay Maitland will receive the organization’s Lifetime Achievement Award at an awards dinner in New York on October 26. Maitland, who is a Managing Partner of International Registries, Inc (Marshall Islands Ship Registry), is being recognized for his many industry accomplishments including being a NAMEPA co-founder. “Clay is one of the finest examples in our industry of a successful businessman who expends nearly as much energy on philanthropy,” said NAMEPA Chairman Joe Hughes. Maitland has worked in the shipping industry since graduation from law school in 1968. He was employed by International Registries, Inc.

International Maritime Organization (IMO)'s Legal Committee is expected to consider adopting a resolution to encourage the ratification and implementation of the 2010 HNS Convention, when it meets for its 104th session (26-28 April). Norway recently became the first country to become a Contracting State to this key compensation treaty covering the transport of hazardous and noxious substances (HNS) by ship. Also up for consideration is a draft Assembly resolution to allow for the delegation of authority to issue insurance certificates under the CLC and the HNS Convention. The Committee is also expected to confirm the addition of mandatory insurance certificates into the consolidated draft list of certificates and documents required to be carried on board ships, 2017.

International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General Kitack Lim has welcomed the entry into force today (18 January) of new obligations under the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC 2006) which require shipowners to have compulsory insurance to cover abandonment of seafarers, as well as claims for death or long-term disability of seafarers. The 2014 amendments to the MLC 2006, which comes under the auspices of the International Labour Organization (ILO), are based on guidelines which were developed by a joint IMO/ILO working group, which reported to both IMO's Legal Committee and ILO's governing bodies. "These amendments, which will provide better protection for seafarers and their families…

The story of how that incident served as a catalyst for positive change is told in a new exhibition which was launched on Monday (16 January) at the headquarters of the IMO, the United Nations agency with responsibility for the safety and security of international shipping and the prevention of pollution from ships. A series of panels chart the collaborative work which has resulted today in a comprehensive regulatory framework, a demonstrably improved shipping industry, good systems of preparedness and response and adequate compensation for those affected by spills. Demand for oil remains strong and shipping remains the most effective means of meeting that demand.

The 50 years since the grounding of the tanker Torrey Canyon in 1967 have seen dramatic and sustained reduction in major oil spills from ships, thanks to cooperation between Governments and industry. The story of how that incident served as a catalyst for positive change is told in a new exhibition which was launched on Monday (16 January) at the headquarters of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the United Nations agency with responsibility for the safety and security of international shipping and the prevention of pollution from ships. A series of panels chart the collaborative work which has resulted today in a comprehensive regulatory framework…

Maritime lawyer Dr. Frank Lawrence Wiswall Junior, former Chair of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Legal Committee and Vice President (Honoris Causa) of the Comité Maritime International (CMI), has received the International Maritime Prize for 2015 for his contribution to the work of IMO over many years. Presenting the Prize, during a ceremony at IMO Headquarters on Monday, December 5, IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim highlighted Dr. Wiswall's dedication and leadership in the field of international maritime law over several decades…

The prestigious International Maritime Prize for 2015 is to be awarded to Dr. Frank Lawrence Wiswall Junior, former Chair of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Legal Committee and Vice-President (Honoris Causa) Comité Maritime International (CMI), for his contribution to the work of IMO over many years. The IMO Council has decided to award the Prize, noting Dr. Wiswall's personal contribution to the work of IMO, leading IMO’s Legal Committee as it developed a number of key international treaties and holding important roles at various international IMO legal and diplomatic conferences. As a lecturer at the International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI) in Malta and as a Member of its Governing Board from 1992 to the present, Dr.

Seafarers’ suggestions on how to improve their situation when facing criminal charges were presented at the landmark 100th session of the Legal Committee of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) which met in London from April 15-19, 2013. The suggestions, which emanated from a comprehensive eight language survey conducted by Seafarers’ Rights International (SRI) over a 12-month period to February 2012, focus as much on fears of their own human rights being violated as on a lack of due process in the criminal process.

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) commend the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) Legal Committee's proposals for on-board crime procedures. The International Maritime Organization's (IMO) Legal Committee recently adopted a proposal which CLIA co-sponsored on international standards for crime reporting, cooperation between governments, evidence preservation and care for victims. CLIA first offered the proposal to the IMO in 2011, marking the continuation of the Association's efforts to have such standards adopted globally. In addition to CLIA, other co-sponsors were the United Kingdom, the International Federation of Shipmaster's Associations, and the International Association of Airport and Seaport Police. The proposal was also supported by the United States.

33 countries and a number of international organisations have just met at the IMO headquarters in London under the chairmanship of Denmark and Indonesia. On this occasion, liability for damages and the obligation to take out insurance in connection with transboundary oil pollution damage resulting from offshore activities were considered, and this has resulted in the drafting of guidance that is expected to be presented to the IMO Legal Committee in the spring of 2016. On several occasions, Denmark and Indonesia have tried to make the IMO undertake to develop an international convention in this area, but resistance from a number of major oil producing countries have made this impossible until now.

The heads of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Monday, June 29 reaffirmed their commitment to urgently address the humanitarian crisis arising from the dramatic increase in unsafe mixed migration across the oceans and seas in recent times. IMO Secretary-General Koji Sekimizu and IOM Director-General William L. Swing met at IMO Headquarters in London and observed a minute’s silence in honor of the thousands of migrants who have lost their lives on perilous journeys.

Prompted by recent incidents in which hundreds of migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean to Europe have lost their lives, including dozens found dead in the holds of the ships that were carrying them, International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General Koji Sekimizu has voiced strong condemnation and refreshed calls for concerted action to tackle people smugglers. Sekimizu noted that smugglers were sending people to sea in craft that were totally unsuitable for passengers and crowding them on board to levels that were completely unsafe.