Infrastructure

Home page

Infrastructure

Azerbaijan joins IALA Convention

07 November 2025 14:20 (UTC +04:00)

With the aim of strengthening international cooperation in the field of navigation and maritime transport and implementing advanced standards for maritime safety, Azerbaijan has officially joined the “Convention on the International Organization for Marine Aids to Navigation” (IALA). President Ilham Aliyev has approved the Law in this regard, APA-Economics reports.

This important step enables our country to successfully pass the next audit inspection under the International Maritime Organization Member State Audit Scheme (IMSAS) in accordance with IALA requirements, to align and verify the vessel traffic management service with international standards, as well as to obtain technical support in the relevant field and to be represented on a new platform to play a more active role in the international arena.

Azerbaijan’s accession to the mentioned Convention on the initiative of the State Maritime and Port Agency (SMPA) marks a new stage in the field of maritime transport.

Within the framework of membership in the IALA Convention, our country will operate in accordance with internationally recognized standards for the design, management, and technical modernization of marine navigation equipment. The implementation of IALA standards will not only enhance the safety of navigation routes in the Caspian Sea but will also make a significant contribution to preventing possible incidents at sea, reducing accident risks, and strengthening environmental protection measures.

Note that the organization, which began operating in 1957 as the International Association of Lighthouse Authorities, has been transformed since 1998 into the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA). Since 2024, the Association has officially transitioned from a Non-Governmental Organization to an Intergovernmental Organization.