In his keynote address to participants attending the Polymetallic Nodules Resources Classification Workshop, ISA Secretary-General Nii Odunton stressed the importance of the workshop and its outcome. Secretary-General Odunton said he hoped that the outcome of the week-long workshop would form the basis of standards for resource classification, facilitate the provision of resources data and provide… Continue reading Resources Classification Workshop Opens in Goa, India

Secretary-General Nii Odunton accompanied by his Deputy and Legal Counsel, Michael Lodge, had the opportunity to visit the Soil Machine Dynamics (SMD) facility in Newcastle upon Tyne  on 4 September 2014, to get a look at Nautilus Minerals’ Polymetallic Sulphides Mining Technology. The newly assembled Auxiliary Cutter (AC), is the third and final seafloor production… Continue reading ISA Secretary-General gets first look at Nautilus Minerals Polymetallic Sulphides Mining Technology

On 11 September 2014, a Chinese delegation headed by Mr. Jiancai Jin, Secretary General, China Ocean Mineral Resources R & D Association of the People’s Republic of China (COMRA), visited the headquarters of the International Seabed Authority. The delegation was composed of officials from the National People’s Congress of China and the China Institute for… Continue reading Chinese Legislation Delegation Visits the International Seabed Authority

Ambassador Joachim Christoph Schmillen of the Federal Republic of Germany presented his credentials to the Secretary-General of the International Seabed Authority as the new Permanent Representative  to the Authority on 19 August 2014. Prior to taking up his position as ambassador of Germany to Jamaica, Ambassador Schmillen held many important assignments, both in the diplomatic… Continue reading Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany Presents Credentials to the Secretary-General

On 8 August 2014, the Authority received an application for approval of a plan of work for exploration for polymetallic nodules in the Area submitted by China Minmetals Corporation, which is sponsored by the Government of the People’s Republic of China. The application area is in the reserved areas of the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone of… Continue reading China Applies For Approval Of Plan Of Work For Exploration For Polymetallic Nodules

Makes exploitation regulations and extension of exploration contracts top priority for 2015 session, adopts budget for 2015-2016, elects 17 Council members The urgent need to begin elaboration of regulations for the exploitation of minerals from the deep seabed Area beyond the limits of national jurisdiction was a central theme at the International Seabed Authority’s twentieth… Continue reading International Seabed Authority Ends Historic Session

The historic twentieth session of the International Seabed Authority ended in Kingston this afternoon after its Assembly completed debate on the Secretary-General’s annual report and acted on five decisions including the Authority’s budget for the 2015-2016 biennium. The Assembly set 13-24 July 2015 as the date for the Authority’s next session. The 166-member Assembly also… Continue reading Seabed Authority Concludes Twentieth Anniversary Session; Assembly Elects 17 Council Members

The Assembly of the International Seabed Authority yesterday (24 July) concluded its consideration of the Secretary-General’s annual report in Kingston this morning hearing comments from twelve delegations and three observers on many aspects of its topics. Secretary-General Nii Allotey Odunton (Ghana), presented the report which covers the work of the Authority since the last session,… Continue reading Seabed Assembly Completes Debate of Annual Report

The Assembly of the International Seabed Authority resumed discussion on the report of the Secretary-General Nii Allotey Odunton (Ghana) in the afternoon (23 Julyu) which covered the work of the Authority during the period from July 2013 to June 2014. The afternoon’s session resumed with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Jamaica,… Continue reading Assembly Continues Discussion on Secretary-General Report; Hears Jamaican Minister of Foreign Affairs