Diplomatic Conference

A diplomatic conference is a meeting of state plenipotentiaries convened to adopt a new IMO convention or a major protocol, the highest treaty-making form in the Organization. Delegates carry full powers to commit their governments, and the conference adopts the instrument text, opens it for signature, and issues a Final Act recording the adoption and any associated resolutions. Examples include the 1974 SOLAS Conference and the 1978 Conference that adopted STCW and the MARPOL Protocol. Routine amendments, by contrast, are adopted by the MSC or MEPC under tacit acceptance without a diplomatic conference.