High Seas Treaty Reaches Critical 60-Ratification Milestone for Marine Protection

In a landmark moment for global ocean governance, the High Seas Treaty (BBNJ Agreement) reached its 60th ratification in late 2025, triggering its entry into force. This historic achievement provides the first comprehensive legal framework for establishing marine protected areas (MPAs) in international waters, which cover nearly two-thirds of the world's oceans.

For the commercial diving and marine construction industries, this treaty introduces new standards for environmental impact assessments (EIAs) in the high seas. Over 30% of the world's oceans are now on track to be protected by 2030, a goal supported by major maritime nations and environmental agencies.

The treaty also encourages the development of 'blue' technologies, including robotic reef restoration and localized pollution containment systems. As the maritime industry adapts to these new regulations, Almancy and other leaders in the region are preparing to integrate these high-level conservation standards into their operational protocols, ensuring a sustainable future for the Red Sea and beyond.

For diving and salvage contractors, the practical significance of the treaty is the rising bar for environmental documentation. As marine protected areas expand and environmental impact assessments become standard for work in sensitive waters, operators will need to plan, record, and justify their methods in more detail than before — particularly in a biodiverse, tourism-dependent region like the Red Sea.

Almancy sees this as a direction the industry was already moving in. Reef-safe recovery methods, pollution-control planning, and coordination with environmental authorities are increasingly not optional extras but baseline requirements of responsible marine work. Contractors that build these standards into their operating procedures now — rather than treating them as compliance overhead later — will be better positioned as the regulatory framework around international and coastal waters continues to tighten.