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Committee Profile
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) was founded as a UN specialized agency in 1948 to unify international shipping treaties under one standard and facilitate safer, more efficient global trade. Though beginning with a revision of the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention, the IMO’s mission quickly expanded to address prevalent environmental and safety concerns. Its membership has grown from 21 to 176 states in the past 70 years, indicative of the enduring importance of an international standard for trade and shipping.
Today, the IMO recommends ways the shipping industry can proactively make their trade as efficient and effective as possible. As early as 2019, it established interim guidelines for Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) in preparation for a comprehensive regulatory code to be enforced by 2032. This committee will discuss the complexity of the MASS code and how member states would influence it to keep their industries safe and prosperous.
Additionally, we will deliberate new ways to prevent and defend against piracy in ports and the high seas. The International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code is over two decades old and does not account for the cybersecurity risks of the 21st century. These vulnerabilities can be readily exploited by pirates, and thus will be a focus in our committee. What can the IMO do to help its member states take advantage and precaution of the digital opportunities this century?
Chair Letter
Dear delegates,
My name is Frank Hobson (he/him), and I am honored to serve as the Chair of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for BruinMUN 33. I am a fourth-year student at UCLA studying political science and applied mathematics. This committee marks the culmination of ten years of involvement in Model United Nations for me, and I hope it marks the beginning of an exciting MUN career for many of you.
In this committee, you will learn about current affairs directly impacting global shipping networks. We will discuss the age-old problems of piracy and smuggling of illicit goods, as well as emerging issues involving cybersecurity, AI, and autonomous vessels. While many people are more familiar with travel by plane or car, it is maritime transport that carries the majority of international goods. As such, ensuring ships’ safety and efficiency at sea is essential for developing the global economy.
In your preparation for this committee, each of you will learn about the importance of shipping for your respective countries and what measures and treaties they have entered to protect it. I look forward to hearing your assessment of the successes and shortcomings of those measures and treaties in our committee!
If you’re curious to learn more about me: I am a coordinator for UCLA’s Cub Tours program; we give tours to elementary and middle school students to introduce them to higher education and universities like UCLA. And I play Quidditch (formally, “Quadball”).
With regards,
Frank Hobson | Chair, IMO | BruinMUN 33
imo@bruinmun.org