The Malta Maritime Law Association (MMLA) is a non-profit making, voluntary organisation set up in 1994 to promote the study and advancement of Maritime Law and its administration. With its expertise, the MMLA plays a key role in ensuring that the Maltese maritime legislative and regulatory infrastructure is constantly updated, revised, amended and improved in a pro-active and well-researched manner, to enhance qualitative standards as well as to consolidate further Malta’s pre-eminent position as an international maritime services centre.
Even though a law association, the MMLA is composed of members from the various sectors in the maritime environment and the Sub-committees provide a forum for discussing arising issues and drafting national legislation or international legal instruments. At present (June 2024) the MMLA has 171 members.
In 2002, an agreement was signed with the then Malta Maritime Authority (today Transport Malta (TM)) establishing that the MMLA shall act as a consultant and advisor to the Merchant Shipping Directorate within TM and foster channels of communication between the authority and the industry.
The MMLA reflects a high degree of maritime legal expertise, also through its affiliation with the Comité Maritime International (CMI). CMI is the oldest international organisation in the maritime field and was formally established in 1897 in Antwerp. Through the participation of the MMLA, Malta is represented at high-profile CMI meetings and can make its voice heard at the negotiating and drafting table of very important international legal instruments.
Since 2014, then MMLA President Dr Ann Fenech has sat on the CMI Executive Council, since 2018 as Vice President before she was elected President of the CMI in October 2022. She is the first Maltese person and the first woman to head this highly prestigious international body.
During the Annual General Meeting of 2022, the members of the Malta Maritime Law Association elected the new Executive Committee for the 2022-2025 mandate period with Dr Matthew Attard as the new President.
Over the past years, the MMLA has focused substantially on the organisation of seminars on topical issues, some of them addressed by international, most prominent persons associated with the subject. (Please see more details on our most recent event under our Events page and further events organised by the MMLA under our Past Events page)
The MMLA is a member of the Malta Maritime Forum (MMF) and is represented on its Board of Directors. The MMF was founded in 2015 as a common platform intended to represent the local maritime industry.
Last updated: June 2024