20th IALA Conference 2023 Rio de Janeiro - Brazil Marine Aids to Navigation – Innovation for a Sustainable Future

IALA

The International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) is a non profit, international technical association. Established in 1957, it gathers together marine aids to navigation authorities, manufacturers, consultants, and, scientific and training institutes from all parts of the world and offers them the opportunity to exchange and compare their experiences and achievements.

IALA encourages its members to work together in a common effort to harmonise aids to navigation worldwide and to ensure that the movements of vessels are safe, expeditious and cost effective while protecting the environment.

Taking into account the needs of mariners, developments in technology and the requirements and constraints of aids to navigation authorities, a number of technical committees have been established bringing together experts from around the world.

The work of the committees is aimed at developing common best practice standards through publication of IALA Recommendations and Guidelines.

This work ensures that mariners have aids to navigation which will meet their needs both now and in the future. Thus IALA contributes to a reduction of marine accidents, increased safety of life and property at sea, as well as the protection of the marine environment. IALA also encourages cooperation between nations to assist developing nations in establishing aids to navigation networks in accordance with the degree of risk for the waterway concerned.

IALA Logo
Establishment

1957

Members

93 National members, 155 Industrial members, 78 Associated members

Type

Nor-for-profit, International Technical Association

Please click here to view a short presentation video about IALA.

Moving towards a Intergovernmental Organization (IGO) status

The Convention on the International Organization for Marine Aids to Navigation was adopted at a Diplomatic Conference in Kuala Lumpur in February 2020 after three preparatory conferences in Istanbul in March 2019, in Marrakech in February 2018 and in Paris in April 2017. The development of a set of new General Regulations, including financial regulations, is well advanced and the final draft is envisaged to be agreed at the first General Assembly of the new intergovernmental organization (IGO).

The Convention was signed 27th January 2021 by France, being the host Country and also the depositary State, was the first to sign the Convention. This event marked the opening for signature of the Convention for a period of one year. All Member States of the United Nations, and other signatories of the Final Act of the Kuala Lumpur Conference are were invited to sign the Convention at the Protocol of the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, and then to proceed to its ratification.

The certified versions of the Convention in the official languages of the organization, Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish, can be found on the IALA web site https://www.iala-aism.org/the-igo-project/

The change of status will mark a major milestone in the life of IALA. However, it will not, in any way, change the principal aim of IALA, which is, as stated in its present Constitution, “to foster the safe, economic and efficient movement of vessels”. Under the new Convention, IALA will also remain a consultative technical organization.

IGO status will best support the aims and activities of IALA into the future. It will benefit the Member States and members, other International Organizations and their Member States, as well as the shipping industry by continuous improvement and enhanced harmonization of AtoN and related services to the benefit of safety of navigation, efficiency of shipping traffic and protection of the environment. The Convention provides for a fit-for-purpose international legal framework that ensures transparency and good governance, strengthens the position of IALA to work in close collaboration with Governments and other IGOs, and fosters its technical and consultative work as the leading international expert body concerned with AtoN and related services.

October 2021

On October 13th 2021, Luis Fernando de Andrade Serra, Ambassador of Brazil to France, signed the convention on the International Organization for Marine Aids to Navigation. Since Brazil has joined the organization in 1961, our country has been involved in all IALA activities. In June 1988 was our first election to Council by the 8th General Assembly, in Hamburg, Germany. Since then, our country they have missed a participation on it. Brazil hosted the 45th session of the IALA Council in June 2011 and an IMC meeting in 2019 in Rio de Janeiro. In 2020, “Santo Antônio da Barra” Lighthouse – Brazil, was was awarded as the IALA Heritage Lighthouse of the year. Now we are very pleased to welcome IALA members to the very expected 20th IALA Conference in 2023 in the beautiful city of Rio de Janeiro.

Luis Fernando de Andrade Serra, Ambassador of Brazil to France

Members

Iala Membership

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