News

On 4 November 2022, the International Seabed Authority (ISA) and the Interoceanmetal Joint Organization (IOM) signed a 5-year extension agreement for the contract for exploration for polymetallic nodules in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone in the Pacific Ocean. This is the second 5-year extension that has been granted to IOM.

Applications are now open for five (5) training opportunities for candidates from developing States, Members of the International Seabed Authority (ISA). The placements are provided by Global Sea Mineral Resources NV (GSR) in accordance with its obligations under its contracts for exploration for polymetallic nodules (PMN) with ISA.

The five training programmes are divided as follows:

The Council of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) opened the meetings of Part III of its 27^th session on Monday, 31 October 2022. The Council will meet in person for ten days until 11 November 2022. The main item on the agenda of the Council is the draft regulations on the exploitation of mineral resources in the Area (ISBA/25/C/WP.1) prepared by the Legal and Technical Commission and submitted to the Council in March 2019.

Work intensifies as the Council meets for the third time in 2022

On 24 October 2022, the Legal and Technical Commission of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) confirmed the selection of three (3) candidates for undergraduate scholarship opportunities provided by Nauru Ocean Resources Inc. (NORI), accordance with its obligations under its exploration contract for polymetallic nodules with ISA.

The selected candidates are:

On 24 October 2022, the Legal and Technical Commission of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) confirmed the selection of four (4) candidates for undergraduate scholarship opportunities provided by Tonga Offshore Mining Limited (TOML) in accordance with its obligations under its exploration contract for polymetallic nodules with ISA.

The selected candidates are:

The Secretariat of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) is accepting proposals for consultancy services to draft a report on oceanographic assessment using scientific data in ISA’s DeepData database.

The consultancy will aim to describe the dynamic oceanographic processes at global/regional scales and improve existing oceanographic models for the international seabed area (the Area).

The Secretariat of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) is accepting proposals for consultancy services for the evaluation of the geothermal energy potential from seabed hydrothermal systems in the Area.

The consultancy will support the ISA Secretariat in the assessment of the energy generation potential of hydrothermal vent sites in mid-ocean ridges and the review of technological solutions for the sustainable development, the protection and the monitoring of volcanic-hydrothermal monitoring in the Area.

The Secretariat of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) is accepting proposals for consultancy services to support its participation in the Regular Process for the Global Reporting and Assessment of the State of the Marine Environment, including Socioeconomic Aspects.

The Secretariat of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) is accepting proposals for consultancy services for the evaluation of the geothermal energy potential from seabed hydrothermal systems in the Area.

The consultancy will aim to review and identify relevant bathymetric data sets provided by ISA contractors for all three types of seabed mineral (polymetallic nodules, polymetallic sulphides and cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts) and generate animated visualizations of the seabed and mineral resources.

The Secretariat of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) is accepting proposals for consultancy services for the preparation of background documents and the organization of an online workshop on technological developments for sustainable mining, environmental protection and monitoring.

On 5 October 2022, the fourth workshop for the promotion of the sustainable development of Africa’s deep-seabed resources in support of Africa’s blue economy strategy opened in Abuja, Nigeria. The workshop is hosted by the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and organized by the International Seabed Authority (ISA) in partnership with the African Union and the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD).

On 28 September 2022, the first-ever Women in the Law of the Sea Conference ended after three days of thought-provoking presentations and discussions on the empowerment of women in the law of the sea, marine sciences and ocean affairs.

On 23 September 2022, the Legal and Technical Commission of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) confirmed the selection of two (2) candidates for at-sea on-board training placements provided by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries of the Republic of Korea (MOF-ROK), in accordance with its obligations under its exploration contract for cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts with ISA.

The selected candidates are:

On 26 September 2022, the Secretary-General of the International Seabed Authority (ISA), H.E. Mr. Michael W. Lodge, opened the first ever Women in the Law of the Sea Conference in New York in celebration of the 40^th anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The conference is organized by ISA in partnership with the Permanent Mission of Singapore to the United Nations and the Permanent Mission of Malta to ISA and the United Nations.

On 12 September 2022, the Legal and Technical Commission of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) confirmed the selection of three (3) candidates for theoretical internship placements provided by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation in accordance with its obligations under its exploration contract for polymetallic sulphides with ISA.

The selected candidates are: