Bangladesh joins three key IMO conventions to bolster maritime safety, pollution liability framework

Highlights:

• Conventions enhance oil pollution liability and wreck removal framework.
• Move aligns Bangladesh's maritime laws with global shipping standards.
• Bangladeshi ships can obtain convention certificates through local authorities.
• Around 80% of Shipping Department services have been digitised.
• Inspectors examined 9,800 vessels during FY2024-25 enforcement drives.
• Bangladesh ranked 35th among global ship-owning nations in 2024.

Bangladesh has joined three major international maritime liability conventions, a move expected to strengthen the country's legal framework for tackling oil pollution, bunker fuel spills and hazardous shipwrecks while bringing its maritime governance closer to global standards.

The government recently deposited its instruments of accession to the International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage, 1969, as amended by the 1992 Protocol, the International Convention on Civil Liability for Bunker Oil Pollution Damage, 2001 and the Nairobi International Convention on the Removal of Wrecks, 2007.

The instruments were formally handed over to International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez at the IMO headquarters in London. Shipping Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam, Department of Shipping (DoS) Director General Commodore Md Shafiul Bari and Bangladesh's Acting High Commissioner to the United Kingdom M Nazrul Islam attended the ceremony, according to DoS officials.

Maritime trade expert and Bangladesh Merchant Marine Officers Association President Captain Anam Chowdhury welcomed the government's decision, saying Bangladesh should have ratified the conventions much earlier.

"The conventions create internationally recognised liability and compensation mechanisms for maritime pollution and wreck removal, while requiring shipowners to maintain insurance or other financial security to cover potential claims," he said.

He explained that the Civil Liability Convention covers pollution caused by persistent oil carried in bulk by sea, the Bunker Convention deals with pollution resulting from ships' fuel, and the Nairobi Convention establishes a legal framework for locating, marking and removing shipwrecks that threaten navigation, coastal safety or the marine environment.

DoS officials said the conventions would enhance Bangladesh's ability to respond to maritime accidents, strengthen environmental protection and provide greater legal certainty for compensation in cases involving pollution or wreck-related damage.

The treaty accessions form part of a broader reform programme being implemented by the Department of Shipping under the leadership of Director General Commodore Md Shafiul Bari to modernise the country's maritime administration and align it with international standards.

"The move is particularly significant for Bangladesh as hundreds of vessels transit through our waters or call at our ports every year. Oil spills, bunker fuel pollution and shipwrecks can disrupt navigation, damage marine ecosystems and affect the livelihoods of coastal communities," Commodore Bari said.

He added that joining the conventions would also deliver commercial benefits, as Bangladeshi-flagged vessels would be able to obtain convention-related certification through the country's own maritime administration rather than relying on foreign authorities.

"This will reduce costs, delays and foreign exchange expenditure, while compliance with international standards is expected to enhance confidence among charterers, insurers and port authorities," he said.

The convention accessions come alongside a broader digital transformation of the Department of Shipping. According to departmental records, around 80% of the department's services have now been automated to improve transparency, reduce processing times and make public services more accessible.

The department has introduced the Personnel Management Information System (PMIS), Document Management System (DMS) and Asset Management System (AMS), alongside digital identity cards, electronic certification and digital service book management for seafarers.

It has also launched Lighter Vessel Management Software to digitise the management of lighter vessels that transport imported cargo from seaports through inland waterways. Officials said the system would improve transparency in vessel allocation and reduce long-standing administrative complexities.

The department is simultaneously developing a national vessel census and an integrated database to strengthen vessel registration, planning, safety monitoring and regulatory enforcement. Officials said the database would help identify unregistered or non-compliant vessels while reducing disputes over ownership, documentation and fitness certification.

To improve maritime emergency response, the Department of Shipping has operationalised the Joint Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre to coordinate search and rescue operations for ships and people in distress across Bangladesh's coastal and maritime areas.

Enforcement activities have also been intensified. During FY2024-25, Department of Shipping inspectors examined 9,800 vessels and filed 3,120 cases for violations of shipping laws. The department also supported 48 mobile court drives in inland river port areas, resulting in fines of approximately Tk65.6 lakh.

Bangladesh has also expanded its international maritime engagement. A mutual recognition agreement on maritime education and certification with the United Kingdom has created additional employment opportunities for qualified Bangladeshi seafarers on UK-registered ships.

According to departmental data, Bangladesh ranked 35th among ship-owning nations in the 2024 United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) report.

Officials said the department's reform agenda combines international legal commitments with digital transformation, stronger inspection systems and improved regulatory oversight to support the country's growing maritime trade and blue economy.

They said the next challenge would be ensuring the effective implementation of the conventions through robust certification, insurance verification, enforcement and coordination among government agencies, ports, shipowners and environmental authorities.

Successful implementation, they added, would strengthen maritime safety, reduce commercial risks and further enhance Bangladesh's credibility as a responsible maritime nation.