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Imo Council News

01 Dec 2023

Russia Fails to Get Re-elected to the IMO

© Kekyalyaynen / Adobe Stock

Russia on Friday failed to win enough votes for re-election to the United Nation's shipping agency's governing council after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had urged countries not to allow Moscow to be part of the UN body's executive arm.The outcome is another blow for Russia after it failed in its bid to return to the UN's top human rights body in October, in an election seen as a key test of Western efforts to keep Moscow isolated.Last year Moscow also failed to win…

30 Oct 2023

World Maritime University Graduates Class of '23

Photo credit: World Maritime University

On 28 October, the maritime leaders of tomorrow - World Maritime University (WMU) class of 2023 - graduated. The WMU 2023 graduating class includes 283 graduates from 71 countries, including a record of 99 women graduates.WMU President, Professor Maximo Q. Mejia, Jr., delivered welcome remarks. As a WMU graduate himself, President Mejia reflected on the power of the WMU experience and how it affects the way one thinks, works, plans, and interacts. “You have acquired information that you did not possess before you enrolled here," he said.

04 Oct 2023

Russia Says IMO Losing Impartiality

Source: IMO

The U.N. shipping agency is departing from its impartial role due to "external pressure" and is being used in the interests of "a minor group of beneficiaries", which is impacting the fair treatment of all member countries, Russia said in a submission to the global shipping regulator published this week.The London-based International Maritime Organization (IMO) is responsible for regulating the safety and security of international shipping and preventing pollution and comprises 175 member state countries.In December…

21 Jul 2023

Iran Loses Bid to Host Shipping Event after Vote at UN Agency Meeting

Iran's offer to host a maritime event in October has been rejected after a proposal led by the U.S. to rescind the bid was approved in a vote at the UN shipping agency's Council, an agency spokesperson said on Thursday.The move is likely to further raise tensions between Washington and Iran after Tehran tried to seize the Richmond Voyager tanker, which was managed by U.S. oil major Chevron, earlier in July in international Gulf waters.Iran had proposed to host a shipping event in Tehran in late October this year in conjunction with an annual maritime day hosted by the UN's International Maritime Organization (IMO), which was accepted in 2015 by the IMO's executive Council.The U.S.…

19 Jul 2023

Anneliese Jost to Receive IMO International Maritime Prize

Anneliese Jost (Photo: IMO)

Germany's Anneliese Jost has been selected as the recipient of the International Maritime Prize for 2022, the the International Maritime Organization (IMO) announced. The decision was made by the IMO Council at its 129th session, being held July 17-21, after Jost was nominated for the award by the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany.In its statement supporting her nomination for the prize, Germany cited Jost's "crucial contribution towards achieving the objectives of IMO…

02 Nov 2022

World Maritime University Celebrates 2022 Graduation

WMU Graduating Class of 2022. Fotograf Leo/WMU

On October 31, 2022, global maritime leaders of tomorrow graduated from the World Maritime University (WMU). The Class of 2022 has received the education required to contribute to maritime and ocean matters in their home countries and more broadly to the implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). Overall, the graduating class includes 276 graduates from 70 countries, and sets a record of 94 women graduates.WMU President Dr. Cleopatra Doumbia…

15 Jul 2022

IMLI Director Attard Wins International Maritime Prize

Professor David Joseph Attard - Credit: IMO

The outgoing Director of the IMO International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI), Professor David Joseph Attard, has been selected by the IMO Council to be the recipient of the International Maritime Prize for 2021. Professor Attard was nominated for the award by the Republic of Malta. In the nomination, the impact that Professor Attard has had on the maritime world, particularly via his three-decade-long role at IMLI was highlighted. The Maltese national was responsible for proposing, in 1987, together with the late Dr.

21 Dec 2021

UAE Joins the Association of Asian Classification Societies

Saeed Al Maskari, Chairman of the Emirates Classification Society (Photo: TASNEEF)

The Emirates Classification Society (TASNEEF), an initiative of the UAE’s Ministry of Defense, announced it has been accepted as a member in the Association of Asian Classification Societies (ACS) following a detailed evaluation of its technical capabilities and performance efficiency of its standards and specifications.This achievement, which comes around the same time as the UAE’s reelection to IMO Council under category B for the third time, will add immense value to the UAE’s maritime sector…

12 Nov 2021

IMO Creates International Day for Women in Maritime

© Nopphon / Adobe Stock

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council, meeting from November 8-12, established an International Day for Women in Maritime, to be observed on May 18 every year.Once adopted by the IMO Assembly in December 2021, the observance will celebrate women in the industry, promote the recruitment, retention and sustained employment of women in the maritime sector, raise the profile of women in maritime, strengthen IMO's commitment to Sustainable Development Goal 5 (gender equality) and support work to address the current gender imbalance in maritime.IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim said…

02 Nov 2020

IMO SG Emeritus William O’Neil Passes Away

William O’Neil was Secretary-General of IMO from 1990 to 2003. (Photo: IMO)

William A. O’Neil, Secretary-General Emeritus of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), has died in the United Kingdom, aged 93.O’Neil was elected Secretary-General of the IMO for a first term of Office beginning in 1990, a second term beginning in 1994, a third term beginning in 1998 and a further two-year term from 2002 to 31 December 2003. He was the second longest serving Secretary-General of IMO.Current IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim expressed his sincere condolences to the Canadian Government…

10 Aug 2020

IMO Updates Virtual Meetings Calendar

© William / Adobe Stock

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has published its remote meetings calendar for the rest of 2020 after its initial agenda of IMO Council and Committees sessions was scrapped due to the coronavirus pandemic.The first scheduled meeting is set to be a simultaneous, remote extraordinary sessions of all Committees (expected to be held 16-18 September), to address procedural matters. This follows decisions of the IMO Council's thirty second extraordinary session (summary here C.ES 32)…

01 May 2020

IMO Postpones More Meetings Due to COVID-19

(Photo: IMO)

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) said its meetings scheduled to be held in July, including the next regular session of the IMO Council, have been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as the UN shipping agency moves to revise its meeting program for the remainder of 2020.The IMO said it  has drawn up a priority list of meetings to be considered by the Council at its 32nd extraordinary session that will be held by correspondence from May to July. This follows the 31st session of the Council that took place…

27 Nov 2019

Joseph Angelo Awarded Global Maritime Prize

The prestigious International Maritime Prize for 2018 has been presented to Joseph J. Angelo, a former United States Coast Guard (USCG) and International Association of Independent Tanker Owners (INTERTANKO) senior executive who participated in International Maritime Organization (IMO) meetings for many years, providing leadership on a number of key regulatory developments.IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim presented the prize on Monday (25 November) at the annual IMO Awards ceremony. Lim outlined Angelo's long commitment to IMO and his reputation as a technical expert, diplomat and problem solver - who earned the nickname, "IMO‑Joe".

13 Aug 2019

UAE Presence Grows in the Maritime World

DP World currently has five terminals in Dubai, three at the flagship Jebel Ali Port. Photo Credit: DP World

Over recent years the United Arab Emirates has emerged as an important maritime hub with grand ambitions. Mark Venables visited the region to discover what is driving that growth.When the UAE was elected to the IMO Council as a Category B member, it immediately raised its profile within the maritime community. The Emirates have taken a significant step forward in the maritime world.Despite this success, the region remains a challenging market for shipping and logistics. One of…

24 Jul 2019

IMO Council Selects Theme for 2020

International Maritime Organization (IMO) council has selected "Sustainable shipping for a sustainable planet" as the World Maritime theme for 2020.According to a press note from the UN body, this will provide an opportunity to raise awareness of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and showcase the work that IMO and its Member States are undertaking to achieve the targets.The IMO Council, meeting for its 122nd session at IMO Headquarters in London, officially endorsed the theme, following a proposal by IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim."I believe that this theme will provide flexibility to the Secretariat and the Member States in highlighting the myriad topics and challenges in meeting the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.

23 Jul 2019

American Rescuer Gets IMO Bravery Accolade

Petty Officer Michael Kelly, a rescue swimmer with the United States Coast Guard, will receive the 2019 IMO Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea, for his courage, perseverance and skill in rescuing four survivors from a life raft, in extremely high winds and heavy seas.A panel of judges decided that the rescue merited the highest award. The decision was endorsed by the IMO Council at its 122nd session in London (15-19 July).Petty Officer Michael W. Kelly, Aviation Survival Technician Second Class, Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod, United States Coast Guard, was nominated by the United States of America for his part in the rescue operation which took place on 14 November 2018.On that stormy day…

23 Jul 2019

"IMO Joe" Angelo Honored

Mr. Joseph J. Angelo (Photo: IMO)

The International Maritime Prize for 2018 will be awarded to Joseph J. Angelo, a former United States Coast Guard (USCG) and International Association of Independent Tanker Owners (INTERTANKO) senior executive who participated in International Maritime Organization (IMO) meetings for many years, providing leadership on a number of key regulatory developments.The IMO Council, meeting for its 122nd session in London (July 15-19) decided to award the Prize to Mr. Angelo, in recognition…

22 Jul 2019

Joseph Angelo Wins Global Maritime Prize

The prestigious International Maritime Prize for 2018 is to be awarded to Joseph J. Angelo, a former United States Coast Guard (USCG) and International Association of Independent Tanker Owners (INTERTANKO) senior executive who participated in International Maritime Organization (IMO) meetings for many years, providing leadership on a number of key regulatory developments.The International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council, meeting for its 122nd session in London (15-19 July) decided to award the Prize to Angelo, in recognition of his invaluable contribution to the work and objectives of IMO and to the international maritime community as a whole.In their nominations…

18 Jul 2019

IMO Condemns Tanker Attacks in Gulf

The Council of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has condemned recent attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and Sea of Oman.The Council  of the UN body expressed its concern over the grave danger to life and the serious risks to navigational safety and the environment to which such incidents may give rise.The Council also emphasized the need for flag States and shipowners and operators to review the maritime security plans for their ships and implement necessary measures to address the heighted security risk to ships operating in the Strait of Hormuz and Sea of Oman.Addressing the IMO Council, Secretary-General Kitack Lim also emphasized his personal condemnation of the attacks…

18 Jul 2019

S. Arabia Accedes to 2 More IMO Treaties

Saudi Arabia has acceded to two important International Maritime Organization (IMO)  treaties – the 1988 Protocol to the International Convention on Load Lines and the Nairobi International Convention on the Removal of Wrecks.The 1988 Load Lines protocol harmonizes the Load Lines Convention's survey and certification requirement with those contained in the SOLAS and MARPOL conventions and revises certain regulations in the technical Annexes to the convention.The Nairobi Convention provides the legal basis for States to remove, or have removed, shipwrecks that may have the potential to affect adversely the safety of lives, goods and property at sea…

07 Dec 2018

International Maritime Prize Goes to Birgit Sølling Olsen

The prestigious International Maritime Prize for 2017 has been presented to Mrs. Birgit Sølling Olsen, former Deputy Director-General of the Danish Maritime Authority.International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General Kitack Lim presented the prize on Thursday (6 December) at the annual IMO Awards ceremony,“Mrs. Olsen has had a distinguished career in the maritime field and made an outstanding contribution to the objectives of IMO. Her comprehensive knowledge of maritime law is combined with a deep understanding of the business aspects and growth potential of the maritime industry,” Mr Lim said.The International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council decided in July to award the Prize to Mrs.

23 Nov 2018

IMO's Lim Gets Nod for Second Term

The IMO Council has agreed to renew the appointment of Kitack Lim as Secretary-General of the IMO for a second four-year term, beginning 1 January 2020, subject to the approval of the IMO Assembly in December 2019.

09 Jul 2018

Chinese Rescue Diver to Receive IMO Bravery Award

Zhong Haifeng, senior diver and deputy of the Engineering Team of Guangzhou Salvage, will receive the IMO Award for Exceptional Bravery At Sea for rescue three people from a sunken cargo ship. (Photo: Guangzhou Salvage, China)

A rescue diver from China who made a series of underwater dives to rescue three people from a sunken cargo ship will receive the 2018 IMO Award for Exceptional Bravery At Sea.A Panel of Judges decided that the rescue merited the highest award. The decision was endorsed by the IMO Council at its 120th session in London (2-5 July).Following a collision with another ship, in Guangzhou Port, China, in the early morning of November 27, 2017, the bulk carrier M.V.Jin Ze Lun sank. Of the 14 crew on board, two were immediately rescued by local maritime authorities but 12 remained missing.