In the 1970s, because both the volume and complexity of international maritime disputes increased dramatically and to respond to the needs of maritime interests for a viable alternative to costly litigation, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the Comité Maritime International (CMI) have jointly produced a set of appropriate rules for maritime arbitration. The rules were prepared by experts from the ICC and the CMI and were adopted in 1978. The administration of arbitration cases submitted under the ICC/CMI Arbitration Rules is entrusted to an organization common to the two institutions, the International Maritime Organization (IMAO). The Rules in force, since 1978, are designed for the conduct of arbitration disputes relating to maritime affairs including inter alia charter parties, contracts of carriage of goods by sea or combined transport, contracts of marine insurance, salvage and general average, shipbuilding and ship repairing contracts, contracts of sale of vessels and other contracts creating rights in vessels.