IMO Shuts Headquarters due to Coronavirus

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has closed its headquarters in London as a precautionary measure due to the coronavirus outbreak, the United Nations' shipping agency said on Thursday.

The IMO said the move follows an assessment on Wednesday by the World Health Organization, which said the virus can be characterized as a pandemic.

IMO headquarters will be closed to staff and visitors on Thursday and Friday, and staff are working from home where possible, the agency said.

The group has already postponed several of its upcoming meetings and will decide shortly whether to hold the next session of its Marine Environmental Protection Committee meant to convene on March 30-April 3 to discuss measures to cut carbon emissions from shipping.