Legal Committee, 112th session (LEG 112), 24 - 28 March 2025

The Legal Committee held its 112th session from 24 to 28 March 2025 at IMO Headquarters in London, chaired by Mr. Diego Ramirez (Marshall Islands), with Vice-Chair Ms. Lydia Markari-Kyriacou (Cyprus). Key outcomes of the session are summarized below.  

LEG 112 highlights 

1. Guidelines adopted on fair treatment of seafarers detained in connection with alleged crimes 
2. Addressing seafarer abandonment 
3. Progress towards the entry into force of the 2010 HNS Protocol  
4. Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) – roadmap revised 
5. Substandard shipping – new output approved for regulatory scoping exercise 
6. Development of guidelines or best practices on ship registration – new output approved    
7. Liability and compensation regimes for alternative fuels – new output approved  
8. Maritime security threats – new output approved 
   

1. Guidelines adopted on fair treatment of seafarers detained in connection with alleged crimes 

The Committee adopted new guidelines to protect seafarers from unfair treatment when detained in foreign jurisdictions in connection with alleged crimes committed at sea.  

The guidelines aim to protect seafarers’ rights and ensure they are treated with fairness and dignity, across all jurisdictions. The guidelines cover issues related to due process, protection from arbitrary detention, coercion or intimidation, and ensuring that wages, medical care and repatriation rights should remain intact during any legal proceedings. They also aim to improve coordination among countries, including port States, flag States, coastal States, States of which the seafarer is a national, as well as shipowners and seafarers. 

2. Addressing seafarer abandonment 

The Committee discussed with concern the sharp rise in the reported seafarers abandonment cases, in which shipowners fail to repatriate crew, pay wages, or provide basic necessities. According to the IMO/ILO joint database on abandonment of seafarers, 310 new cases were reported in 2024 - more than double the 142 cases recorded in 2023. The trend continues in 2025, with 63 cases already reported in the first two months.  

The Committee called on Member States to report abandonment cases occurring in their ports or involving their flagged vessels and nationals; improve the accuracy of these reports; update national contact points for handling cases; implement existing Guidelines on how to deal with seafarer abandonment cases; and raise awareness among seafarers about financial security protections.  

The Committee welcomed the ongoing work by the Task Force  to review and update the ILO/IMO Joint abandonment database. Member States are encouraged to work with the Task Force to improve the database further. 

3. Progress towards the entry into force of the 2010 HNS Protocol  

The Committee noted the progress towards the entry into force of the International Convention on Liability and Compensation for Damage in Connection with the Carriage of Hazardous and Noxious Substances by Sea, 2010 (2010 HNS Convention).  

The 2010 HNS Convention aims to ensure adequate, prompt and effective compensation for those affected by incidents involving hazardous and noxious substances (HNS) carried on ships. This is particularly relevant given the increasing amounts of chemicals and new fuels being transported in bulk in ships.  

There are currently eight Contracting States to the 2010 Protocol to the HNS Convention, five of which have more than 2 million units of gross tonnage each. The Protocol needs only four more ratifications with the required contributing cargo to meet the entry-into-force requirements. 

The delegations of Belgium, Germany, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Sweden and Finland provided information about their progress towards ratification in a coordinated manner. With those ratifications, the entry into force requirements would be met. The Committee encouraged Member States to ratify and bring into force the 2010 HNS Protocol as soon as possible. 

4. Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) – roadmap revised 

The Committee approved the report of the third meeting of the Joint MSC-LEG-FAL Working Group on MASS (MASS-JWG), held 8 to 10 May 2024. 

Noting the revision by MSC 109 of its road map on MASS, and subsequent similar revisions by FAL 49, the Committee agreed to revise its own road map on MASS, to align with the prospective target dates set by MSC 109.  

5. Substandard shipping – new output approved for regulatory scoping exercise 

The Committee discussed the need to address substandard shipping, given the reported rise of unlawful operations, which distort the global playing field and increase risks to safety, security and the environment. 

The Committee approved the proposal to conduct a regulatory scoping exercise to review IMO conventions and other tools available to Member States, with the aim of developing actions to prevent unlawful operations, including substandard shipping.  

A correspondence group was established to start working on this new output, following approval of the IMO Council in July 2025. 

6. Development of guidelines or best practices on ship registration – new output approved  

The Committee approved a new output for developing guidelines or best practices on ship registration. Delegates reaffirmed the importance of due diligence, transparency, and international cooperation to prevent fraudulent registries and false flags.  

The Committee noted updates on various matters related to the fraudulent registration and fraudulent registries of ships since LEG 111.  

7. Liability and compensation regimes for alternative fuels – new output approved  

The Legal Committee approved a new output on the “Suitability of IMO liability and compensation regimes with respect to alternative fuels”. This new output will consider the continuing and widespread uptake of alternative fuels including ammonia, methanol, hydrogen, biofuels and liquified natural gas (LNG), which present different risks to those posed by traditional hydrocarbon mineral fuels, such as oil.  The aim is to assess whether existing liability and compensation frameworks remain adequate. 

8. Maritime security threats – new output approved 

The Committee approved a new output on “Measures to address maritime security threats”. The Committee is expected to holistically consider the legal aspects of a broad spectrum of maritime security threats under this output.