World Maritime Day Celebrates 50 Years of SOLAS Convention

Today marks the United Nations-backed World Maritime Day, with this year's theme focused on safety at sea, highlighting the 50th anniversary of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS). This treaty is the most significant global agreement for ensuring the safety of merchant ships, with its origins tracing back to the sinking of the Titanic.

Arsenio Dominguez, Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), remarked, “2024 marks 50 years since the SOLAS treaty was adopted. We can be proud of the crucial role this convention has played in setting international safety standards for ship construction, equipment, and operation, preventing maritime disasters and protecting lives. But we cannot be complacent. World Maritime Day calls for collective effort to ensure we keep pace with the ongoing transformation in shipping.”

The first version of the safety convention was adopted in 1914, following the Titanic tragedy. The current version of SOLAS was adopted on November 1, 1974.

In his message, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated, “Today, the maritime sector is undergoing a profound transformation as it steers towards greater digitalisation, automation and decarbonisation. New technologies and designs offer the opportunity to make important contributions to climate action. I count on the commitment of regulators, seafarers and ship operators alike.”

One of the recent amendments to the SOLAS treaty mandates that, beginning January 1, 2026, ships will be required to report any containers lost at sea.