The ISA Legal and Technical Commission began its week-long meeting on Monday 4 February 2013.

The International Seabed Authority and G-TEC Sea Mineral Resources NV (GSR) of Belgium signed a 15-year contract for prospecting and exploration for polymetallic nodules on 14 January 2013.The contract was signed by the Secretary-General of the Authority, Nii Allotey Odunton and the Managing Director of GSR, Jacques Paynjon. Under the contract, GSR will have exclusive rights for exploration for polymetallic nodules over 76,728 square kilometres of the seabed in the eastern part of the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone of the Central Pacific Ocean.

H.E. Mr Jorge Enrique Constantino Gonzalez presented his credentials as the Permanent Representative of Panama to the Secretary-General of the International Seabed Authority on Thursday 6 December 2012.

H.E. Mr.  Yasuo Takase presented his credentials as the Permanent Representative of Japan to the Secretary-General of the International Seabed Authority on Wednesday 5 December 2012.

HE Mr. Paolo Serpi, presented his credentials as the Permanent Representative of Italy to the International Seabed Authority, to the Secretary-General of the International Seabed Authority on 14 November 2012.

The International Seabed Authority and Russia signed a 15-year contract for prospecting and exploration for polymetallic sulphides located in the Atlantic Ocean on Monday 29 October 2012.

KINGSTON, JAMAICA, 31 August 2012 – – The International Seabed Authority has received two new applications  for seabed exploration licences.

Ambassador Otunba Olatokunboh Kamson presented his credentials as the new Permanent Representative of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the International Seabed Authority on 8 August 2012.

ISA/INDEEP recently announced five winners of the Endowment Fund Travel Bursary Award to attend the 13th Deep-Sea Biology Symposium in Wellington, New Zealand from 3-7 December 2012.