Navigating maritime safety challenges: Paola Acuña discusses leadership, law and the future of ocean governance

Environmental and safety challenges are some of the most urgent issues facing the maritime sector today. International maritime lawyer and the first Costa Rican graduate of the International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI), Paola Acuña, is determined to address these challenges, starting with strengthening expertise on maritime law.

Acuña’s journey into maritime law began as she was finishing her legal studies in Costa Rica. “I discovered the fantastic International Maritime Master’s programme and I was really interested in finding out how I could get a scholarship,” she says. With support from Lloyd’s Register Foundation, she secured a place at IMLI in 2008 and embarked on an experience she describes as transformative.

“IMLI is the only institute in the world that was designed to specialise in training lawyers from developing countries,” she explains. “If you are interested in learning maritime law and becoming an expert, that is where you have to study.”

Today, that expertise is urgently needed. Maritime safety is not only about vessels and infrastructure, but also about governance, enforcement and environmental protection. “It is really important that more lawyers become experts in maritime law. It helps governments update their legal frameworks and implement international conventions into domestic rules.”

Without this legal capacity, countries can struggle to enforce safety standards or protect their maritime zones. “Without a maritime law expert, it can be difficult to develop and implement stringent safety policies and procedures, both at sea and in ports to keep people safe while maximising available resources, no matter how limited.”

She argues that good governance in the maritime sector is dependent on strong legal and policy frameworks, including IMO conventions, domestic legislation and national ocean strategies. “Experts are needed to implement, update and in some cases enforce these frameworks, helping to safeguard maritime security, protect the environment and peacefully manage boundary disputes,” she explains.

Frameworks must be matched with the resources needed to follow them. Limited resources in Costa Rica make it difficult to police coastal waters effectively.  Acuña continues: “We currently struggle to control or patrol all our maritime zones. As a result, we are being affected, unfortunately, by drug trafficking, which puts many people at risk.”

At the same time, environmental pressures are intensifying. Marine litter and pollution are threatening biodiversity and protected areas. “We have beautiful protected marine areas; these also deserve to be protected.”

Yet Acuña is optimistic that progress is possible through education and awareness. Throughout her career, she has worked directly with coastal communities and schools to help develop what she describes as a ‘collective consciousness’ around ocean protection. “If we recycle what we consume, we can be the change we need in our country.”

The long-term solution, Acuña believes, lies in building both expertise and public understanding—what is increasingly referred to as ocean literacy. “I hope that we can become more conscious about marine plastic litter and that we can really make a difference in helping our oceans.”

Ultimately, her message is clear: investing in maritime law expertise is essential for safer seas, stronger governance, and a more sustainable future. And institutions like IMLI, supported by organisations such as Lloyd’s Register Foundation, have a vital role to play in making that happen.