Which organization sets international standards for maritime safety and pollution?

The organization that sets international standards for maritime safety and pollution is the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

The IMO is a specialized United Nations agency created through a 1948 conference, although it began operating under its original name, the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization, in 1959. Its headquarters are in London, and its members cooperate on rules for ships engaged in international trade.

Two of its best-known instruments are SOLAS, which establishes minimum standards for ship construction, equipment, and operation, and MARPOL, which addresses pollution by oil, chemicals, sewage, garbage, and air emissions. The IMO develops the framework, while national maritime authorities enforce it through flag-state and port-state controls.

A common mix-up is confusing the IMO with the International Chamber of Shipping, a trade association representing shipowners. The World Maritime University is an IMO-founded educational institution, not the body that makes the global rules.