Our congratulations to Dr. Rosalie Balkin for being named the recipient of the International Maritime Prize for 2024. This week the IMO Council has named Dr. Rosalie Balkin as the recipient of the International Maritime Prize for 2024.

Nominated by the Government of Australia, Dr Balkin was recognized for her outstanding contributions to international maritime law over a career spanning more than 50 years. Currently, she serves as Secretary-General of the CMI - the world’s oldest organization focused on unifying international maritime law, founded in 1897. Appointed in 2017, she is the first woman to hold this position in the CMI’s 128-year history.

Dr. Balkin has made extensive contributions to legal and academic institutions worldwide as a widely published author and lecturer. She served twice on the Board of Governors of the World Maritime University (WMU) and currently serves as Ethics Officer to the WMU President, offering advice on ethical matters and settlement of disputes. As Legal Advisor to the International Oil Pollution Compensation (IOPC) Funds since 2014, she was instrumental in preparing the resolutions for dissolving the 1971 IOPC Fund, which was replaced by the 1992 Fund, strengthening the global compensation regime.

She is a founding member of the Advisory Group of Seafarers' Rights International, which advocates for fair treatment and legal protection of seafarers.

In Australia, Dr. Balkin has served in senior roles across the public service, including as Primary Legal Advisor to the Commonwealth Ombudsman and later as Assistant Secretary in the Attorney-General’s Department’s Office of International Law.