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The Advisory Body of Experts on the Law of the Sea is an open-ended intergovernmental body composed of national authoritative and representative experts designated by the IOC Member States. Following Resolution XIX-19, IOC invited Member States to nominate a maximum of two experts to the IOC/ABE-LOS, reflecting expertise in both the Law of the Sea and the marine sciences, and preferably familiar with the IOC´s activities and programmes.

Within the IOC/ABE-LOS, national Experts prepare advices that eventually lead to binding decisions for member States of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (as stated in IOC circular letters 2092 and 2127)

The IOC/ABE-LOS Experts currently work by electronic correspondence, in close co-operation with the UN Office of Legal Affairs/ Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (UN/OLA/DOALOS), debating the drafts circulated by the IOC Secretariat. The Advisory Body meet once a year for one week to discuss and make progress on the mandates established by the IOC Governing Bodies.