The International Maritime Organization (IMO) was created in the mid-19th century to improve maritime safety through international cooperation. It was formally established in 1948 as the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization and renamed the IMO in 1982. The IMO works to adopt international conventions on issues like safety, pollution prevention, liability, and training. It has over 170 member states and oversees committees on maritime safety, environmental protection, legal matters, technical cooperation, and facilitation.

1. LT JAY TARRIELA PCG

2. WHY WAS IT CREATED?
Improvement of
safety
in maritime
operations is
effective if
carried out at the
international level.

3. BRIEF HISTORY
Mid-19th century onwards
1912, Titanic, (SOLAS
Convention)
1948, International conference
in Geneva, formally establishing
Inter-governmental Maritime
Consultative Organization
1958, IMO Convention
was entered into force
1982, renamed as IMO

4. BRIEF HISTORY1960, adoption of a new
version of the International
Convention for the Safety of
Life at Sea (SOLAS)
Facilitation of international
maritime traffic, load lines and
the carriage of dangerous
goods, while the system of
measuring the tonnage of ships
was revised

5. BRIEF HISTORY1967, Torrey Canyon
Incident
1973, International
Convention for the
Prevention of Pollution
from Ships
1978, MARPOL 73/78
A system for providing
compensation

6. BRIEF HISTORY 1988, GMDSS
 1998, ISM Code
 1995, STCW
 2001, AFS
 2004, BWM
 2004, ISPS Code

7. 170 Countries that are members of the IMO
Countries that did not sign
Philippines is the 55th State
that joined IMO on 1964

8. MEMBERSHIPMember States
-170 Member States and
3 Associate Members
Non-Governmental Organizations
-77 NGO’s in consultative status
-have the capability to make a substantial
contribution
Intergovernmental organizations
-63 intergovernmental organizations
which have signed agreements of co-
operation with IMO

9. COMPOSITIONAssembly
Council
Maritime Safety Committee
Marine Environment Protection Committee
Legal Committee
Technical Co-operation Committee
Facilitation Committee

10. ASSEMBLYHighest Governing Body
170 Member States
Meets once every two years in regular
session
Approves the work programme
Votes the budget
Determines the financial arrangements
Elects the members of the Council

11. COUNCILElected by the Assembly for
two-year term
Composed of 40 member states
Supervises the Organization and
performs all the functions of the Assembly
Appoints the Secretary-General
Enters into agreements or arrangements
concerning the relationship of the
Organization with other organizations,

12. MARITIME SAFETY
Established in 1948
Highest technical body of the Organization.
All matters concerning:
Aids to navigation
Vessel Construction and equipment
Safety Manning
Rules for the prevention of collisions
Handling of dangerous cargoes
Maritime safety procedures
Hydrographic information
Log-books and navigational records
Marine Casualty Investigations
Salvage and Rescue
COMMITTEE

13. MAR ENV PROTCTN
Any matter within the scope of the
Organization concerned with prevention
and control of pollution from ships
In particular it is concerned with the
adoption and amendment of
conventions and other regulations and
measures to ensure their enforcement.
first established as a subsidiary body of
the Assembly in 1978 and raised to full
constitutional status in 1985
COMMITTEE

14. Any legal matters within the scope of
the Organization
It was established in 1967 as a
subsidiary body to deal with legal
questions which arose in the
aftermath of the Torrey
Canyon disaster.
LEGAL
COMMITTEE

15. Acts as the executing or co-
operating agency and any other
matters related to the Organization’s
activities in the technical co-
operation field.
Was established in 1969 as a
subsidiary body of the Council, and
was institutionalized in 1984.
TECH. CO-OPERATION
COMMITTEE

16. Relates to the facilitation of
international maritime traffic
These are aimed at reducing the
formalities and simplifying the
documentation required of ships
when entering or leaving ports or
other terminals.
FACILITATION
COMMITTEE

17. Consists of the Secretary-
General and some 300
international personnel based
at the headquarters of the
Organization in London
SECRETARIAT
Mr. Koji Sekimizu
of Japan is the Seventh
Elected Secretary-General

18. ADOPTION
OF A
CONVENTION

19. ENTRY INTO FORCE
Each convention includes appropriate provisions
stipulating conditions which have to be met before it
enters into force.
Example:
International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974
-Requires acceptance by 25 States whose merchant fleets
comprise not less than 50 percent of the world's gross tonnage
Convention Relating to Civil Liability in the Field of Maritime
Carriage of Nuclear Material, 1971,
-came into force 90 days after being accepted by five States

20. Signature
-treaty provides that signature shall have that effect
-it is otherwise established that the negotiating
States were agreed that signature should have that
effect
-the intention of the State to give that effect to
signature appears from the full powers of its
representatives or was expressed during the negotiations
SIGNATURE, RATIFICATION, ACCEPTANCE,
APPROVAL AND ACCESSION

21. Signature Subject to Ratification, Acceptance or
Approval
-signature does not signify the consent of a State to
be bound by the treaty, although it obliges the State to
refrain from acts which would defeat the purpose of the
treaty
SIGNATURE, RATIFICATION, ACCEPTANCE,
APPROVAL AND ACCESSION

22. ACCESSION
-signature does not signify the consent of a State to
be bound by the treaty, although it obliges the State to
refrain from acts which would defeat the purpose of the
treaty
SIGNATURE, RATIFICATION, ACCEPTANCE,
APPROVAL AND ACCESSION

23. AMENDMENT
In early conventions, amendments came into force only
after a percentage of Contracting States, usually two
thirds
the “tacit acceptance” procedure provides that an
amendment shall enter into force at a particular time
unless before that date, objections to the amendment are
received from a specified number of Parties.

24. THANK YOU!