ABSTRACT
Activities in space are important for supporting innovation, developing the global economy, and improving the efficiency of state institutions. Satellite technologies, such as satellite navigation, are used in many areas of economic and social life. Safety at sea also depends on satellite navigation and satellite communication. Although the safety of navigation clearly necessarily calls for common action on the part of states, as yet, there is no universal multilateral convention specifically regulating various aspects of satellite navigation including satellite navigation at sea. This, like other space activities, is governed by common international law and international space law. The United Nations and regional international organisations are making efforts to provide the international community with the widest possible access to satellite navigation technology. The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has been tracking the development of practical satellite applications, including satellite navigation, and has investigated the possibility of using it on the oceans. Currently, satellite navigation enables the IMO to conduct, among other things, navigation safety in dense traffic and the precise monitoring of all maritime activities. Its task is to develop cooperation between its member states in terms of standards and practices and to set standards for safe navigation.
