| ADB | Asian Development Bank |
| AIIB | Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank |
| APTTA | Afghanistan Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement |
| ASEAN | Association of Southeast Asian Nations |
| BOT | Built-Operate-Transfer |
| BRI | Belt and Road Initiative |
| BRICS | Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa |
| CLC | International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage |
| COLREG | Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972 |
| COMESA | Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa |
| CPPCC | Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference |
| CSIS | Center for Strategic and International Studies |
| DOC | Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea |
| DWFNs | distant water fishing nations |
| EAC | East African Community |
| ECFR | European Council on Foreign Relations |
| ECOWAS | Economic Community of West African States |
| EEZ | exclusive economic zone |
| ESRMC | East Sea Rim Maritime Community |
| EU | European Union |
| FAO | Food and Agriculture Organization |
| GATT | General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade |
| GISIS | Global Integrated Shipping Information System |
| IAPH | International Association of Ports and Harbors |
| IFQ | Individual Fishing Quota |
| ILO | International Labor Organization |
| IMO | International Maritime Organization |
| IOC | Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission |
| ISA | International Seabed Authority |
| ISM | International Safety Management Code |
| ISPS | International Ship and Port Facility Security |
| ITLOS | International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea |
| IUU | illegal, unreported and unregulated |
| JICA | Japan International Cooperation Agency |
| KCG | Korea Coast Guard |
| LOSC | United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea |
1973 International Convention for the Preservation of Pollution from Ships | |
| MEPC | Marine Environment Protection Committee |
| MLC | Maritime Labor Convention |
| MoUs | Memorandums of Understanding |
| MSA | Maritime Safety Administration |
| MSC | Maritime Safety Committee |
| MSR | Maritime Silk Road |
| MSY | maximum sustainable yield |
| nm | nautical miles |
| NORDREG | Northern Canada Vessel Traffic Services Zone |
| NPC | National People’s Congress |
| NSRA | Northern Sea Route Administration |
| OBOR | One Belt, One Road |
| OPPR | Oil Pollution Preparedness and Response |
| OPPRC | 1990 International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Cooperation |
| OSCE | Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe |
| PLAN | People’s Liberation Army Navy |
| PRC | People’s Republic of China |
| PSC | port State control |
| PSSA | Particularly Sensitive Sea Area |
| PWOM | Polar Waters Operating Manual |
| RFMO | regional fisheries management organization |
| SADC | Southern African Development Community |
| SAFTA | South Asian Free Trade Area |
| SAR | International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue, 1979 |
| SCS | South China Sea |
| SLOC | Sea Lanes of Communication |
| SMS | safety management system |
| SOLAS | International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea |
| SREB | Silk Road Economic Belt |
| SRX | Silk Road Rail Express |
| STCW | International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers |
| SUA | Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Maritime Navigation, 1988 |
| TAC | total allowable catch |
| UAE | United Arab Emirates |
| UN | United Nations |
| UNCITRAL | United Nations Commission on International Trade Law |
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea | |
| UNCLOS III | Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea |
| UNCTAD | United Nations Conference on Trade and Development |
| UNESCO | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization |
| USA | United States of America |
| USCG | United States Coast Guard |
| VTS | Vessel Traffic Services |
| WIG | Wing in Ground Effect |
| WTO | World Trade Organization |