Maritime Legislation – International

International

The Cook Islands is a member of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and has signed a number of IMO Conventions and Codes. These include:

• The International Convention for the safety of life at sea (SOLAS Convention)
• The international convention on load lines (Load Lines Convention and Protocol)
• The international convention on tonnage measurements of ships (Tonnage Convention)
• Collision Regulations (COLREG) Convention
• The international convention on standard of training, certification and watchkeeping for seafarers (STCW Convention)
• The international convention on maritime search and rescue (SAR Convention)
• The convention on the international mobile satellite organization (IMSO Convention)
• The international convention for the prevention of pollution from ships (MARPOL Convention) and Protocol
• The protocol to the international convention on civil liability for oil pollution damage (CLC Protocol)
• The protocol to the international convention on the establishment of an international fund for compensation for oil pollution damage (Fund Protocol)
• The international convention for the suppression of unlawful acts against the safety of maritime navigation (SUA Convention)
• The international convention for the control management of ships ballast water and sediments (Ballast Water Convention)
• The international convention on the control of harmful antifouling systems on ships (Anti-Fouling Convention)
• The international convention on the removal of wrecks ((Nairobi) Wreck Convention)
• The international convention on civil liability for bunker oil pollution damage (Bunkers Convention)
• The international convention on the limitation of liability of maritime claims (LLMC Convention) and Protocol

The Cook Islands also references international best practice through work with the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO); and the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA).

Regional

The Cook Islands is active within the Pacific Community (SPC ) and also participates in other regional initiatives such as the Asia-Pacific Heads of Maritime Safety Agencies (APHOMSA) and the South West Pacific Hydrographic Commission (SWPHC)