JAMAICA, Kingston (21 November 2015) - - On 19 November 2015,  a six-member Chinese delegation headed by Mr Lu Hao, Chairman of Environmental Protection and Resources Conservation Committee of National People’s Congress of China, visited the headquarters of the International Seabed Authority. 

During the meeting with the ISA Secretary-General Mr Nii Allotey Odunton, Mr Lu Hao briefed on the progress on the China legislation on deep seabed resources exploration and exploitation, which is scheduled for a second reading in April 2016.  

JAMAICA, Kingston (14 November 2015) - - ISA continues its call for applications from candidates from developing countries to attend various ISA Contractor training programmes.The training programmes are pursuant to the terms of the contracts for exploration between the contractors and the International Seabed Authority.  

Member States are encouraged to ensure applications are received at the ISA by the cut-off dates for the following programmes:

JAMAICA, Kingston (14 November 2015) - - Datuk Professor Sundra Rajoo, Director of Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur Centre for Arbitration (KLRCA) paid a courtesy call on the Authority on Tuesday 10 November 2015. 

Professor Rajoo who is in Jamaica on the invitation of the University of the West Indies School of Law shared with the Authority, information about the KLRCA and proposed the possibilities for future collaboration in the following areas: 

KINGSTON, Jamaica (9 November 2015) - - The International Seabed Authority and Companhia De Pesquisa de Recursos Minerais of Brazil (CPRM) have signed a 15-year contract for exploration for cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts in the Rio Grande Rise in the South Atlantic Ocean.

The Contract was signed today, 9 November 2015, in Brasília, by the Secretary-General of the International Seabed Authority, Nii Allotey Odunton, and the Director-President of CPRM, Manoel Barretto da Rocha Neto.

JAMAICA, Kingston (6 November 2015) - - Nauru Ocean Resources Inc. (NORI) is offering two training places for candidates from developing States to attend an Environmental Planning Workshop in Gent, Belgium held by NORI on 11 and 12 December 2015. 

JAMAICA, Kingston (2 November 2015) - - Japan Oil, Gas, and Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC) is offering five training places on board a research vessel for candidates from developing States, pursuant to the terms of the contract for exploration for cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts between JOGMEC and the International Seabed Authority.

JOGMEC will pay for a round-trip airline ticket (economy class), and provide local travel, meals and accommodations in Japan and on-board within the scope of the training programme, as well as travel insurance with medical coverage.

China Ocean Mineral Resources Research and Development Association (COMRA) is offering 5 opportunities for its At-Sea Training Programme to candidates from developing countries as part of its July-September 2016 training programme.

The training programme is in accordance with the contract for exploration for cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts that COMRA has signed with the ISA in April 2014. 

JAMAICA, Kingston (7 October 2015) - - The ISA and the Government of Chile will jointly host a Sensitization Seminar in Santiago from 5-6 November 2015.

The Seminar aims to bring together experts from the international legal and scientific community with national and regional government officials, scientists, researchers and academics to discuss scientific research and marine mineral development.

As part of its training programme, in its contract signed on 14 January 2013, Global Sea Mineral Resources NV (GSR), is offering a training opportunity for one fellowship from a developing State.

According to the GSR Training Programme, the two-year “Master of Marine and Lacustrine Science and Management” programme will be organized by the Faculty of Science of the Free University of Brussels, Antwerp University and Ghent University with GSR providing travel, accommodation and tuition costs.

JAMAICA, Kingston, (14 September 2015) - - ISA is seeking Expressions of Interest (EOI) from qualified consultants or firms to conduct a general and systematic review of the manner in which the international regime of the Area has operated in practice.

Pursuant to Article 154 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the review will be carried out under the oversight of a Review Committee who will appoint consultants based on a qualified short list prepared by the ISA Secretary-General.

JAMAICA, Kingston (7 August 2015) - - On 5 August 2015 His Excellency, Mr. Alexis Eduardo Sandoval Cajar presented his credentials to Mr. Nii Allotey Odunton, Secretary-General of the Authority, as the new Permanent Representative of Panama to the Authority.  

Ambassador Sandoval Cajar is an agronomist by profession and commenced his career as an Evaluator of Environment Impact at the Maritime Authority of Panama, and then moved on to the Public Ministry as an Environmental Expert. 

JAMAICA, Kingston (27 July 2015) - - The Assembly of the International Seabed Authority at its final meeting of the 21st Session in Kingston, on Friday 24 July, approved the recommendations of its Finance Committee relating to financial and budgetary matters and decided to undertake the first review of the operations of the international regime of the Area as provided for under article 154 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

JAMAICA, Kingston (24 July 2015) - - The Council of the International Seabed Authority meeting in Kingston yesterday, adopted the procedures and criteria for extension of an approved plan of work for exploration and took note of the draft framework for exploitation of mineral resources in the Area.

Council members were able to resolve their differences over the content of a proposal by the Legal and Technical Commission on procedures that would govern the extension of an approved plan of work for exploration of marine minerals by contractors.

JAMAICA, Kingston (23 July 2015) - -The Assembly of the International Seabed Authority, meeting in Kingston yesterday, concluded a two-day debate on the report of the Secretary-General on the Authority’s work over the past year, hearing a record 35 interventions from member states and 11 by observers. (SB-21-13)

JAMAICA, Kingston (21 July 2015) - - ISA Secretary-General Nii A Odunton today presented his annual report (ISBA/21/A/2) on the work of the Authority for the period 2014-2015  at the Assembly's 151st meeting in Kingston.

Secretary-General Odunton thanked the host country Jamaica, for the on-going support it continued to extend to the Authority to carry out its work.