Signature

Signature is a state’s initial act of consent toward an IMO treaty, usually subject to later ratification, acceptance, or approval before the state is bound. A signatory that has not yet ratified is obliged under the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties not to defeat the object and purpose of the treaty pending its decision. Most IMO conventions open for signature for a fixed period at headquarters, after which states may still join by accession. Entry into force depends on ratifications meeting the convention’s threshold, not on signature alone.