The Centre for International Law of the National University of Singapore (CIL) and the World Maritime University (WMU) have successfully organized a two-day, in-person, Workshop on Charting the Course: The Role of IMO within the UNCLOS Legal Framework in Tackling Challenges of Contemporary Shipping at the World Maritime University, Sasakawa Auditorium, Malmo, Sweden from 9 – 10 June 2025. This Workshop was part of CIL’s research on the international regulation of shipping under the Maritime Port Authority (MPA)-CIL Oceans Governance Research Programme funded by the Singapore Maritime Institute (SMI-2023-MA-03).

The Workshop brought together international judges, academics, legal practitioners, IMO legal officers, and representatives from the shipping industry to discuss key issues that are discussed under the agenda of the IMO Legal Committee, including fraudulent registration and fraudulent registries of ships, updating the GISIS database, measures to address the dark fleet, abandonment of seafarers and other topical issues relating to shipping and the law of the sea, such as damages of submarine cables and pipelines by ships and the possibility of using the dispute settlement mechanism under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea to address violations of IMO rules.

CIL researchers from the Ocean Law and Policy Team (OLP) have actively organized and participated in the Workshop.

Professor Robert Beckman, Co-head of OLP, gave the Opening and Closing Addresses, and presented on:

• Overview of the relationship between the provisions of UNCLOS and the instruments of the IMO;
• Measures to Address the Incidents of Damage of Submarine Cables and Pipelines by Ships in the Maritime Zones of Coastal States; and
• The Option of Using the Dispute Settlement Mechanism under UNCLOS for the Resolution of Possible Disputes between States on Matters Pertaining to Vessels that are Involved in Illegal Operations by the “Dark Fleet”

Dr. Trung Nguyen, Research Fellow (OLP), presented on Measures to Prevent Unlawful Practices Associated with the Fraudulent Registration and Fraudulent Registries of Ships.

Mr. Joel Ong, Research Assistant (OLP), presented on Proposals to Update the Shipping Information System at the IMO to Address the Issue of Fraudulent Registration and Registries of Ships, and was the Master of Ceremonies.

A workshop report will become available shortly thereafter.