THE IMO: YOUR MARITIME LIFELINE EXPLAINED

SETTING SAIL WITH THE IMO - Imagine the maritime world as a vast, briny chessboard—ships zigzagging oceans, dodging hurricanes, and praying not to end up as the catch of the day.

- Capt Ramji S Krishnan

Enter the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the UN body keeping this madness in order since 1959. Headquartered in London (near enough for a cheeky pint or bitter, your choice), its 174 Member States craft rules that keep shipping safe, clean, and efficient. For cadets, 2nd mates, nautical officers, and shore staff, the IMO's your silent partner, shaping your training, equipment, and daily grind through those darn checklists and SOPs.

Capt. Ashok Mahapatra, former Director of the IMO's Maritime Safety Division, spells it out: -

• The IMO sets global standards for vessel safety,

• Shields the environment,

• Established provisions for search and rescue,

• Ensures seafarers are up to speed, and

• Sorts compensation when accidents send things south.

It has 53 treaties—such as SOLAS (166 countries, 99.98% tonnage) and MARPOL (157 countries, 99.15% tonnage)—plus codes and guidelines galore. These are not just fancy terms; they are why you are not stuck on a rust bucket or bailing out a leaky tub. Rest easy, lads—we will unravel each one of those gordian knots.

Safety is the lodestone. The Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) runs SOLAS, mandating Life-Saving Appliances (LSA)—lifeboats, jackets—and Fire-Fighting Appliances (FFA)—extinguishers, pumps. Ever done a muster drill? That is SOLAS for you. STCW (Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping) ensures you are not a stepney—165 countries enforce it. Shore staff, you are the lifeline—feeding ships data and SOPs to stay legal.