The World Maritime University – Sasakawa Global Ocean Institute (WMU-GOI) co-organized the 48th Annual Conference on Oceans Law & Policy (COLP48), held at the Ashok Hotel in New Delhi, India from 9-12 September. Under the theme “Developing World Approaches to Ocean Governance: Perspectives from the Indian Ocean Rim,” COLP48 honoured the regional contributions to the development of oceans law and policy, while assessing current challenges and opportunities for the Indian Ocean region.
48th Annual Conference on Oceans Law and Policy
Developing World Approaches to Ocean Governance: Perspectives from the Indian Ocean Rim
The programme addressed issues such as the triple planetary crisis, the vulnerabilities of Small Island Developing States (SIDS), international trade and shipping, critical offshore infrastructure and seabed minerals, the ratification and implementation of the BBNJ Agreement, autonomous shipping and emerging technologies, fisheries and food security, maritime boundaries, and the future of ocean governance.
WMU-GOI Contributions
In a keynote address, WMU President, Professor Maximo Q. Mejia Jr., noted WMU’s pride in co-hosting the first COLP held on the Indian subcontinent. He highlighted the region’s importance in global trade, ecology, and sustainable development amid growing maritime challenges. Citing India’s leadership and the legacy of Dr C. P. Srivastava, Founding Chancellor Emeritus of WMU, he reaffirmed the University’s commitment to promoting maritime safety, security, and sustainability through international collaboration.
On the technical programme side, the WMU delegation contributed to multiple sessions of the Conference. Professor Ronán Long, Director of WMU-GOI, moderated the inaugural plenary session on “Tackling the Triple Planetary Crisis in the Indian Ocean: Biodiversity, Climate Change, and Pollution.” During this session Associate Professor Aleke Stöfen-O’Brien presented a paper reflecting on the Plastic Treaty and its far-reaching implications for the Indian Ocean region.
In subsequent parallel sessions, PhD Candidate, Mr Suriya Narayanan Sundararajan offered an Indian Ocean SIDS perspective to the International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion on Climate Change, grounding legal discourse in the realities of vulnerable communities. In another session, Assistant Professor Aspasia Pastra addressed the potential of autonomous technologies and their role in safeguarding marine biodiversity.
Additional WMU contributors to the overall programme included Associate Professor Tafsir Matin Johansson, who presented the evolving relationship between marine technology and international law, and Lecturer Kathleen Auld, who addressed the delicate balance between fisheries subsidies and food security. In the final plenary session, Postdoctoral Fellow Vonintsoa Rafaly and Assistant Professor Ríán Derrig, considered the future of ocean governance, envisioning a balance between innovation and responsible stewardship.
regional and global collaboration
The conference brought together over 250 maritime and ocean experts from across the Indian Ocean region and beyond, providing a vital platform for advancing solutions to ensure the conservation and sustainable use of the ocean.
The Conference was hosted by Gujarat Maritime University (GMU) in partnership with WMU and the Stockton Center for International Law of the U.S. Naval War College, with the support of The Nippon Foundation and international academic partners including the Korea Maritime Institute (KMI), the Centre for International Law (CIL), the Japan Institute for International Affairs (JIIA), the IMO International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI), the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, the University of Copenhagen, the UiT Norwegian Centre for the Law of the Sea (NCLOS), the Center for Climate Change Law and Governance (CLIMA), the National Maritime Foundation (NMF), Athens Public International Law Center (PIL) and the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).
learn more
For more information on the conference and panels, refer to the website and the concept note below.
About the world maritime university
The World Maritime University (WMU) in Malmö, Sweden is established within the framework of the International Maritime Organization, a specialized agency of the United Nations. The mission of WMU is to be the world centre of excellence in postgraduate maritime and oceans education, professional training and research, while building global capacity and promoting sustainable development. WMU is an organization by and for the international maritime community and is committed to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Agenda.
About the wmu-sasakawa global ocean institute
The World Maritime University’s WMU-Sasakawa Global Ocean Institute (WMU-GOI) is an independent focal point for the ocean science-policy-law-industry-society interface where policymakers, the scientific community, regulators, industry actors, academics, and representatives of civil society meet to discuss how best to manage and use ocean spaces and their resources in accordance with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Institute was inaugurated in May 2018 and made possible through generous support from The Nippon Foundation of Japan, the Governments of Sweden, Canada, and Germany, as well as the City of Malmö
About the Conference on Oceans Law and Policy
The Conference on Oceans Law & Policy (COLP), established and formerly administered by the Center for Oceans Law & Policy, University of Virginia School of Law, is an annual academic conference coordinated by the Stockton Center for International Law of the US Naval War College. The Conference aims to promote interdisciplinary interaction with ocean-related legal and public policy issues at all levels, addressing international, national, regional, and state concerns. Each year the conference is hosted by a local country and in partnership with key actors in the maritime and ocean realm. WMU has partnered with and co-hosted the COLP since 2018, and hosted the COLP43 at WMU Malmö in May 2019, as well as co-hosting in COLP47 in Lima, Peru in September 2024.