Guinea-Bissau has acceded to a number of important IMO treaties, including the Safety of Life at Sea Convention (SOLAS), the key IMO treaty governing the safety of shipping. Other instruments include the STCW Convention, which establishes international standards for training, certification and watchkeeping for seafarers, and the International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue (SAR). H. E. Mr. Fidélis Forbs, Secretary of State, Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications of Guinea-Bissau, met IMO Secretary-General at IMO Headquarters, London (24 October) to deposit the instruments of accession.

The full list of instruments acceded to is as follows: