The Comite Maritime International (CMI), which was formally established in 1897 in Belgium, is the oldest international organization in the maritime field. The initial aim of the CMI was and remains the unification of international maritime law. In achieving this aim, the founders of the CMI stated that they were keen to receive input from the whole maritime industry including ship operators, bankers, insurers and adjusters – this was not simply to be a lawyers' organization. With view to the above aim, the CMI further promotes the establishment of national associations of maritime law and the cooperation with other international organizations.    

The CMI drafted many of the Conventions and Rules familiar to the maritime industry:

• Hague Rules    
• Collision and Salvage Conventions    
• York-Antwerp Rules    
• Conventions on Limitation of Liability           
• Maritime Liens and Mortgages       
• Arrests   
• Carriage of Passengers by Sea   
• Rules for Sea Waybills and for Electronic Bills of Lading.            

Whereas in the past the CMI was almost the sole drafter of these maritime Conventions and Rules, in more recent years, the CMI has worked closely with other international organizations such as IMO, UNCTAD and UNCITRAL and has prepared draft preliminary texts and provided advice during negotiations. The CMI both responds to requests for in-put from these inter-governmental organizations and also initiates texts of new laws which may be adopted by these organizations.

Most recently the CMI has worked on the revision of the York-Antwerp Rules and has dealt with issues relating to today's most pressing topics –carriage of goods (Rotterdam Rules), maritime safety and security, places of refuge for ships in distress, environmental salvage, judicial sale of vessels, piracy and the fair treatment of seafarers.

For more data on the CMI, including its Constitution, National Maritime Law Associations, work in progress, Members of the Executive Council, etc., visit www.comitemaritime.org.