uncertainties, and the potential for disproportionate impacts and inequities. We
conclude with final observations on possible further structural and functional change
in the IMO.
2 Origins and Evolution
The launching of an international organization dedicated to maritime cooperation
was a difficult challenge from the beginning. The seminal idea for the establishment
of an international organization dedicated to shipping can be traced to an international maritime conference in 1889 in Washington, DC, where the United States
advanced a proposal to set up a permanent body to cater for the needs of the
industry.
7 The proposal was rejected, in part because the industry was suspicious
of any attempt to control its activities and restrict its commercial freedom.
8 This is
interesting because at that time the industry was neither globalized nor transnational
as it is today. Following the First World War, the League of Nations revived the idea
and attempted to establish an organization to address discrimination in shipping, but
failed to do so because of the outbreak of the Second World War.
9 However, the idea
of establishing international organizations to facilitate inter-state cooperation did not
die, and in fact the International Labour Organization (ILO), created in 1919, was a
success story and continues today.
The establishment of the ILO reflected functionalism in action, thinking which
influenced the creation of international organizations designed to bypass state
territoriality and sovereignty by promoting cooperation on specific technical
issues.
10 The functionalist approach with respect to shipping would initially take
life with the establishment of the United Maritime Authority as an advisory body to
the Allies during the Second World War and was further advanced at the United
Nations Maritime Conference in 1948 at which time the decision was made to create
a permanent international organization for shipping.
11 And so the InterGovernmental Maritime Consultative Organization, the future IMO, was born,
created by an international convention with an initially limited mandate as a technical advisory body.
12
It is hard to imagine that the IMO today with its suite of functions concerning
maritime safety, environment protection, maritime security, trade facilitation and
7 McDonald (1948), p. 1.
8 Harvey (2012), pp. 4–5. See also IMO, ‘Convention on the International Maritime Organization’,
online: http://www.imo.org/en/about/conventions/listofconventions/pages/convention-on-the-inter
national-maritime-organization.aspx.
9 McDonald (1948), pp. 3–5.
10 The principal proponent of this school of thought was David Mitrany. See Mitrany (1933).
11 Ibid.
12 IMO Convention, art 29.
Governance of International Shipping in the Era of Decarbonisation: New. . .
99
conclude with final observations on possible further structural and functional change
in the IMO.
2 Origins and Evolution
The launching of an international organization dedicated to maritime cooperation
was a difficult challenge from the beginning. The seminal idea for the establishment
of an international organization dedicated to shipping can be traced to an international maritime conference in 1889 in Washington, DC, where the United States
advanced a proposal to set up a permanent body to cater for the needs of the
industry.
7 The proposal was rejected, in part because the industry was suspicious
of any attempt to control its activities and restrict its commercial freedom.
8 This is
interesting because at that time the industry was neither globalized nor transnational
as it is today. Following the First World War, the League of Nations revived the idea
and attempted to establish an organization to address discrimination in shipping, but
failed to do so because of the outbreak of the Second World War.
9 However, the idea
of establishing international organizations to facilitate inter-state cooperation did not
die, and in fact the International Labour Organization (ILO), created in 1919, was a
success story and continues today.
The establishment of the ILO reflected functionalism in action, thinking which
influenced the creation of international organizations designed to bypass state
territoriality and sovereignty by promoting cooperation on specific technical
issues.
10 The functionalist approach with respect to shipping would initially take
life with the establishment of the United Maritime Authority as an advisory body to
the Allies during the Second World War and was further advanced at the United
Nations Maritime Conference in 1948 at which time the decision was made to create
a permanent international organization for shipping.
11 And so the InterGovernmental Maritime Consultative Organization, the future IMO, was born,
created by an international convention with an initially limited mandate as a technical advisory body.
12
It is hard to imagine that the IMO today with its suite of functions concerning
maritime safety, environment protection, maritime security, trade facilitation and
7 McDonald (1948), p. 1.
8 Harvey (2012), pp. 4–5. See also IMO, ‘Convention on the International Maritime Organization’,
online: http://www.imo.org/en/about/conventions/listofconventions/pages/convention-on-the-inter
national-maritime-organization.aspx.
9 McDonald (1948), pp. 3–5.
10 The principal proponent of this school of thought was David Mitrany. See Mitrany (1933).
11 Ibid.
12 IMO Convention, art 29.
Governance of International Shipping in the Era of Decarbonisation: New. . .
99