A precise and current overview of Global Maritime Law

There are 25 maritime authorities documented in Appendix #1 at the end of this document.

Below is an exact description of the current implementation of Maritime Law. The complexity and dilution of authority becomes clear and compromises maritime safety at all levels.

Laws to regulate international shipping are not enacted by an international legislative body nor are they enforced by an international court. Rather they are enacted and enforced by three different regulatory authorities: 1) the classification society, 2) the flag state and 3) the coastal state. The regulations may be safety and environmental, though the focus is on the former.

Three agencies of the United Nations (UN) have been active in the organization and drafting of maritime conventions:

• The International Maritime Organization (IMO)
• The International Labor Organization (ILO)
• The UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

The labor and trade organizations are not addressed in this document.