This October the Assembly of the Comité Maritime International (CMI) took place in Antwerp, Belgium. The Assembly was preceded by a two-day conference organised jointly by CMI and the Belgian Maritime Law Association to celebrate the 125th anniversary of CMI at its birthplace. The events took place from 18 to 21 October 2022.

Almost 400 delegates registered as delegates, and the conference saw international working groups and standing committees of the CMI meeting in locations throughout the city, a busy conference programme containing three concurrent streams of sessions, and a breakfast hosted by the CMI President for the presidents of all national maritime law association members of the CMI.

Numerous issues were discussed at the conference, the new UN Convention on the judicial sale of ships, it was at the center of the discussions; other topics included the lex maritima, ship arrests, polar shipping, fair treatment of seafarers.

The conference also marked the election of Dr. Ann Fenech from Malta, the first-ever female President of the CMI. She takes the helm from President Chris Davis. Ann was most recently involved in representing the CMI as the chief coordinator for the CMI in Working Group V1 at UNCITRAL which was deliberating and working on the CMI Beijing Draft on Judicial Sales of Ships. In June of this year the Commission approved the draft convention, and the convention is now before the General Assembly of the United Nations for adoption. The General Assembly also elected John O’Connor from Canada as Vice President and Funke Akbor from Nigeria as Executive Councillor.

Details of the Conference and the Assembly are available to the Members of the Maritime Law Association (RUMLA). ■

Flanders Meeting & Convention Center Antwerp awaiting delegates…

Opening of the Assembly 2022 by CMI president Chris Davies

Opening of the CMI Assembly. Live welcome address by Kitak Lim, Secretary General of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO)

Избрание нового президента CMI – Анн Фенеч

Election of new president of the CMI – Ann Fenech

Voting takes place by raising the country place. One country, one vote. The Russian MLA voted on all items on the agenda, including the election of the new president and the approval of the new CMI Guidelines Relating to General Average

Оne of the evenings between the formal events

В рамках мероприятия делегаты посетили офис CMI

The delegates were invited to visit the CMI’s headquarters

Серьезное заявление – S.P.Q.A. А – Антверпен

A serious statement – S.P.Q.A. “A” for Antwerp

Российская делегация в расширенном составе на закрытии конференции

RUMLA members at the closing of the conference