The Regulation Nobody Reads Until It’s Too Late
A maritime operator in Chile receives an inspection from the Maritime Authority. The inspector reviews ISM documentation, ISPS certificates, pollution records, emergency plans. Three non-conformities found. The vessel is detained until they’re corrected.
The operator knew their business. What they didn’t know well were the four regulatory frameworks governing every aspect of their operation. Frameworks that Chile adopted as law and that DIRECTEMAR enforces without exceptions.
Those frameworks come from the International Maritime Organization (IMO). They’re structured into four pillars that every maritime operator must understand. Not as theory. As operational obligation.
What Is the IMO and Why It Affects You
The International Maritime Organization is the United Nations agency responsible for regulating global maritime transport. It has 175 member states. Chile is one of them.
What the IMO establishes are not recommendations. They are international conventions that member states ratify and convert into national legislation. In Chile, DIRECTEMAR (the General Directorate of Maritime Territory and Merchant Marine) is the authority that implements and enforces these conventions.
This means that when the IMO updates a convention, it eventually becomes an obligation for your operation. Whether you’re a shipowner, a port operator, or a maritime services provider. The four pillars of the IMO define the rules.
Pillar 1: Maritime Safety (SOLAS)
The SOLAS Convention (Safety of Life at Sea) is the oldest and most important IMO treaty. It has existed since 1914, after the sinking of the Titanic. Its current version dates from 1974 with continuous amendments.
What It Requires
SOLAS establishes minimum standards for the construction, equipment, and operation of ships. It covers:
- Construction and stability: structural requirements by vessel type and size
- Life-saving equipment: lifeboats, rafts, jackets, location systems
- Radiocommunications: GMDSS (Global Maritime Distress and Safety System)
- Navigation safety: nautical charts, navigation equipment, voyage planning
- Fire protection: detection, extinction, fire-resistant materials
- Cargo transport: stowage, securing, dangerous goods
How It’s Enforced in Chile
DIRECTEMAR inspects both Chilean and foreign vessels in national ports under the Port State Control regime. Inspections verify certificates, equipment condition, and procedure compliance. A serious non-conformity can detain the vessel.
What It Means for Your Operation
If you operate vessels, your safety certificates must be current and backed by real evidence. Having the paper isn’t enough. The inspector verifies that life-saving equipment works, that the crew knows how to use it, and that records are updated. Maritime certifications are not an annual formality. They’re a continuous practice.
Pillar 2: Maritime Security (ISPS Code)
After September 11, 2001, the IMO adopted the ISPS Code (International Ship and Port Facility Security). It came into force in 2004.
The 3 Security Levels
The ISPS Code defines three security levels that apply to both vessels and port facilities:
Level 1 (Normal): The standard operating level. Minimum security measures defined in the protection plan apply. Access control, restricted area surveillance, cargo inspection.
Level 2 (Heightened): Activated when there is an increased risk of a security incident. Measures intensify: stricter access controls, increased patrolling, additional restrictions for visitors and suppliers.
Level 3 (Exceptional): Activated when a security incident is probable or imminent. Maximum protection measures, direct coordination with security forces, and total restriction of unauthorized access.
What ISPS Requires
Every vessel over 500 GT on international voyages and every port facility that receives them must have:
- An approved Security Plan by the maritime authority
- A designated and trained Security Officer (for both vessel and facility)
- Periodic security assessments
- Documented incident records and security drills
- A Declaration of Security for the ship-port interface
What It Means for Your Operation
If you operate a port terminal or receive international vessels, your ISPS plan must be alive. Not filed in a drawer. Security levels change and your operation must be able to scale measures within hours. Incident response requires documented protocols, trained teams, and verifiable records. Copec implemented exactly this type of system for their maritime fueling operations, where coordination between the terminal and vessels is constant.
Pillar 3: Marine Environment Protection (MARPOL)
The MARPOL Convention (Maritime Pollution) is the main international instrument for preventing sea pollution from ships. It has six annexes, each dedicated to a pollutant type.
The 6 MARPOL Annexes
- Annex I: Oil pollution (petroleum and derivatives)
- Annex II: Noxious liquid substances carried in bulk
- Annex III: Harmful substances in packaged form
- Annex IV: Sewage from ships
- Annex V: Garbage from ships
- Annex VI: Air pollution (SOx, NOx emissions, greenhouse gases)
What It Requires in Practice
Every vessel must maintain records of all discharges and operations related to pollutants. Oil record books, garbage management plans, and air pollution prevention certificates are living documents that DIRECTEMAR reviews at every inspection.
Annex VI has become especially relevant. The IMO set a target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from maritime transport by at least 50% by 2050. This is already driving changes in fuel requirements, energy efficiency standards, and emissions reporting.
What It Means for Your Operation
If you operate at sea, MARPOL is not optional. Pollution records must be accurate and available. An unrecorded discharge or an expired certificate can result in fines, vessel detention, and reputational damage. Oxxean, which operates tugboat and maritime logistics services, manages these records as part of daily operations, not as a periodic formality.
Pillar 4: Facilitation of Maritime Traffic (FAL Convention)
The FAL Convention (Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic) is the least known of the four pillars, but it directly affects operational efficiency.
What It Aims For
Simplifying and standardizing documentary procedures for the arrival, stay, and departure of ships at international ports. It reduces bureaucracy, eliminates redundant documents, and establishes standard forms.
The Maritime Single Window
Since 2019, the FAL Convention requires member states to implement an electronic maritime single window. Chile has the SICEX system and DIRECTEMAR platforms for vessel documentation. The goal: all documentation for a port call is transmitted electronically once, instead of presenting the same data in multiple paper forms to different authorities.
What It Means for Your Operation
If you manage port calls, document digitalization is not a future trend. It’s a present obligation. Operators who digitized their documentary processes save hours on every port call. Those still on paper waste time, make errors, and face delays. The ability to manage terminals in real time includes electronic documentation as a core component.
How the 4 Pillars Connect
The four pillars don’t operate in isolation. In a typical port call:
- SOLAS requires the vessel to arrive with all safety certificates current
- ISPS requires security coordination between the vessel and the terminal
- MARPOL mandates recording any fueling operation or discharge
- FAL defines the required documents for the port call and their electronic format
A failure in any pillar stops the operation. An expired SOLAS certificate can prevent departure. An ISPS breach can shut down a terminal. An incomplete MARPOL record can result in a fine. A missing FAL document can delay cargo.
Operators who manage these four pillars in an integrated manner operate without interruption. Those who treat them as separate compartments face surprises at every inspection.
The Reality in Chile: DIRECTEMAR Doesn’t Forgive
Chile has one of the most rigorous maritime authorities in Latin America. DIRECTEMAR enforces frequently and sanctions are real. Vessel detentions. Fines. Permit suspensions.
The most common problem isn’t total ignorance of regulations. It’s the gap between knowing the obligation and having the evidence ready when the inspector arrives. Records scattered across notebooks, emails, and spreadsheets don’t survive a serious inspection.
Copec solved this by integrating their operational, safety, and environmental records into a single platform. When an inspection comes, evidence is already compiled. No panic week. No missing documents.
Is Your Operation Ready for the Next Inspection?
The four pillars of the IMO won’t get simpler. They’ll get stricter. The IMO is already working on new regulations for emissions, maritime cybersecurity, and vessel autonomy. DIRECTEMAR will adopt each one.
The question isn’t whether your operation complies today. It’s whether it has a system that enables continuous compliance, without depending on a race against time every time an inspector arrives. Operators who implemented integrated certification and compliance systems no longer worry about inspections. Can you say the same?