Russia Joins Convention on International Organisation for Maritime Safety

The Russian Government has submitted for ratification to the State Duma the Convention on the International Organization for Maritime Navigation Equipment (IALA). This gives Russia the opportunity to participate in the work of the organization as a member state.

The convention is a treaty that establishes the International Organization for Marine Aids to Navigation as an intergovernmental organization. IALA’s goals are to:

Improve and harmonize Marine Aids to Navigation worldwide to ensure the safe and efficient movement of vessels;

Promote access to technical cooperation and capacity building for the development and transfer of expertise, science, and technology related to Marine Aids to Navigation, and protect the marine environment.
IALA is based in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, and the convention has already been ratified by France, Singapore, Norway, Japan, Malaysia, India, Panama, the Netherlands, the UK, Canada and Spain.

There are several different types of membership:

National Members: National organizations or authorities that are responsible for the operation, maintenance, or provision of marine aids to navigation. National Members can participate in IALA Committees and are eligible for election to the IALA Council.

Associate Members: These are territories or groups of territories for which a member state is responsible for their international relations and for which it has requested membership approved by the General Assembly of the organization.

Industrial Members: There is also a category of industrial members – manufacturers or distributors of marine aids to navigation or organizations providing services or technical advice in the field of marine aids to navigation.

The first General Assembly of the new organization will be held from February 17 to 21 in Singapore. With Russia’s expanding inland maritime fleet, the country is interested in IAMS membership because it clarifies issues related to global standardization of maritime safety and, importantly, the development of new technologies and operating systems for Arctic shipping. The next step is likely to be the reopening of the full Arctic Council which includes Russia as well as Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and the United States. Recall that in March 2022, during Russia’s chairmanship of the AC, the other member countries refused to participate in the Council’s meetings, and in June decided to resume work without Russia, which the Russian Foreign Ministry called illegitimate.

Russia signed the Convention on the International Organization for Maritime Aids to Navigation in December 2020. This is also a tacit indication that Russia may once again resume participation in international assemblies involving Western countries.