President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has announced his decision to seek approval from the Parliament for the Maldives to join the International Mobile Satellite Organisation (IMSO). He made the decision after deliberations on a paper submitted by the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation to the cabinet.
The International Maritime Organisation (IMO), which the Maldives is a member of, passed the Convention on the International Maritime Satellite Organisation in 1967. IMSO was formed under the treaty as the inter-governmental body that oversees certain satellite-based maritime distress communication services, specifically those used in the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS).
IMSO also facilitates the operation of the Long Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT) System to provide for the global identification and tracking of ships to enhance the security of shipping and for safety and marine environment protection. The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), adopted in 1974, mandates countries party to the treaty to implement the GMDSS and LRIT systems.