A new intergovernmental mediation body headquartered in Hong Kong has resolved a maritime dispute between parties from mainland China and Singapore this month, as more states have joined the organisation since its launch last year.

Teresa Cheng Yeuk-wah, secretary general of the International Organisation for Mediation (IOMed), revealed the achievement on Friday at a summit, where senior officials reaffirmed Hong Kong’s pledge to be a mediation centre amid increasing volatility in global affairs.

“I am delighted to share with you that a maritime dispute was successfully resolved through mediation administered by IOMed at our Hong Kong headquarters in early May, just a few days ago,” Cheng, the city’s former justice minister, told the Global Mediation Summit.

She said the case marked an important milestone as it was the first international maritime dispute involving a charter party chain referred to IOMed since its launch last year.

“The matter, involving parties from China and Singapore, was successfully settled and resulted in a written settlement agreement, bringing the disputes across the charter party chain to a full and effective conclusion,” Cheng said.

“It is also a landmark achievement for IOMed and indeed a significant moment for Hong Kong’s maritime industry, particularly its maritime legal and dispute resolution services.”