Introduction to international marine regulation

Version history

June 2024 Rev. 0.1 – Page 2, bookmarking updated, references validated; no change to content

December 2016 – Initial publication

Summary

Marine regulation can appear complex and difficult to understand. The nature of shipping and offshore activities necessitates international regulation. This international regulation is provided by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), an executive agency of the United Nations (UN) which sets global standards for the safety, security, sustainability and environmental performance of international shipping and offshore activities.

National governments implement and enforce the agreements made at the IMO. These governments have a dual role as flag states (administrations) responsible for regulating ships under their flag, and also as coastal states with responsibility and authority for the waters around their coastline. In some parts of the world there are regional maritime regulatory initiatives which are outside of the IMO framework, such as the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic (OSPAR) and the Baltic Marine  Environment.

Protection Commission (HELCOM). IMO agreements are underpinned by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) which defines the extent of a country’s territorial waters, exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and continental shelf along with the rights of ships flagged to other countries when transiting these waters.

Classification societies develop rules and regulations for the design and construction of ships and other offshore vessels such as mobile offshore drilling units (MODUs). The International Labour Organization (ILO) also has an interest in maritime affairs by regulating employment conditions for seafarers. The different roles and responsibilities of these bodies can seem almost incomprehensible to those without maritime backgrounds, yet these things are actually simpler than they might at first appear. This document is intended to give readers an overview of these structures – it is not however intended to explain the content rules and regulations, with the single exception of outlining the classification of the various territorial zones under UNCLOS (see section 3.2).

Contents

• Introduction
• Glossary
• Sources of Maritime Law and Regulation
• Flag (Statutory) and Classification Requirements
• The Structure of the IMO
• MIO Processes
• Mandatory vs Non-Mandatory IMO Documents
• Grandfather Rights
• Classification Society Rules
• Mutual Recognition and Europe
• Regional, Federal and Local Requirements
• Assurance Gap
• Questions and Answers
• Further Information