This book is the outcome of a PhD research project undertaken over a four year period at the University of Wollongong. The research was largely undertaken on a part time basis, while I worked for the New Zealand Maritime Safety Authority. While undertaking any research under such circumstances can be demanding, this drawback was more than compensated for by the unique circumstances I found myself in, as a New Zealand delegate to the IMO for five years. In this capacity, I actively participated in developments that are the focus of this research. This, I believe contributes to a more insightful study of this aspect of the IMO’s.
