Maritime Law

Ireland has been elected to the council of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) for the first time, where the government has said it will "be a voice for upholding international law".

Greenhouse gases are destroying the maritime environment and states are legally obliged to control them, according to the opinion of an international court. The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) also said that wealthy countries must reduce their emissions faster than developing o

Responsibility for Ireland's marine planning system has been formally transferred to the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. The transfer from from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is based on a recommendation made by the former Attorney General Pa

Darren Lehane SC has been elected as president of the Irish Maritime Law Association. The barrister will work alongside a senior leadership team consisting of vice-president Hugh Kennedy, treasurer Joseph Richardson and secretary Dermot Conway.

The new Maritime Area Regulatory Authority (MARA) has been officially launched by ministers, marking a significant milestone in the State's stewardship of the maritime area including plans for renewable offshore energy development. The newly-established authority will be responsible for regulating d

The new Maritime Area Regulatory Authority (MARA) will be established in July, the government has announced. After its establishment on 17 July 2023, the new agency will have responsibility for assessing applications for maritime area consents (MACs) which will be required before developers of offsh

Ireland has become the 19th state to ratify the Convention on the International Organization for Marine Aids to Navigation. The international agreement changes the status of the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) from a non-governmental organisat

A full-time Marine Accident Investigation Unit will be established within the Department of Transport under legislative plans agreed by ministers. The Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Accidents) Bill will provide for the new unit to replace the Marine Casualty Investigation Board (MCIB), s

Ministers have approved plans to legislate for the designation and management of marine protected areas (MPAs) in Ireland's maritime territory. Work will now begin on the development of a general scheme of a bill to provide for the identification, designation, regulation, management, enforcement and

The wreck of the RMS Titanic will be better protected under an historic international agreement between the UK and the US. On a visit to Belfast today, UK Maritime Minister Nusrat Ghani confirmed that the treaty signed by the UK in 2003 will into force following its ratification by US Secretary of S

Cork solicitor Bill Holohan is stepping down from his positions in the Mediators' Institute of Ireland (MII) and the Irish Maritime Law Association (IMLA). Mr Holohan, senior partner at Holohan Lane, has served on the MII council for four years and the IMLA executive committee for 36 years.