The International Maritime Organization (IMO) highlighted a key and growing issue on World Maritime Day: the necessity of effectively implementing maritime laws in all member countries. This body stressed that merely ratifying a treaty, even high-importance treaties like SOLAS, is not sufficient, and each country must implement these laws at the national level.
Challenges of Implementing Maritime Laws
According to the IMO, implementing maritime laws requires translating these treaties into national laws, training officials to apply them, and efforts to monitor the proper enforcement of these laws. Since 2016, the IMO has launched a mandatory inspection program (IMSAS) to assess the compliance of member countries with IMO instruments. So far, 168 member countries—almost all countries except for a few—have been inspected. The results of these inspections highlight the main challenges present in this area.
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Lack of Expertise and Weak Oversight
IMO advisory teams have found that many countries still face challenges in converting IMO laws into national laws. These challenges include a lack of technical expertise, infrastructure, and weak oversight of ships. In response to these challenges, the IMO allocates its technical resources to areas that need them most. These areas include less developed countries and small island nations. Specifically, improvements at the local level in compliance with laws can lead to an overall enhancement in global maritime safety.
Arsenio Dominguez, Secretary-General of the IMO, stated: "This issue underscores the critical importance of adherence to international laws and ensuring their full implementation. Mariners, dockworkers, ship operators, and inspectors all play a vital role in fulfilling global maritime commitments. Together, let us ensure that the seas become safer and more resilient for everyone."
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