Imo News

The IMO has adopted a new International Code of Safety for Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS Code) at the 111th session of the Maritime Safety Committee in London.The MASS Code aims to support the safe integration of autonomous and remotely operated commercial ships into global shipping. It sets out a comprehensive, goal-based framework to ensure that autonomous vessels are built, operated and certified at equivalent safety and environmental standards to conventional ships.The Code applies to large internationally-trading cargo ships and will take effect from July 1, 2026.

The IMO and World Maritime University (WMU) have released a new Handbook on Gender Mainstreaming in the Maritime Sector, calling for action to address persistent gender inequality across the global maritime industry.The handbook, authored by WMU Professor Momoko Kitada, was launched on the International Day for Women in Maritime on May 18. Kitada is also the recipient of the 2026 IMO Gender Equality Award. The publication is the first of its kind, aimed at closing the gender gap in the maritime sector…

Japanese maritime academic and former seafarer Professor Momoko Kitada has been awarded the International Maritime Organization’s Gender Equality Award 2026. The award was presented by IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez during a ceremony held at IMO Headquarters in London (May 18) to mark International Day for Women in Maritime. The recipient of the Gender Equality Award is selected each year by a high-level panel and endorsed by the IMO Council, in recognition of their outstanding contributions to advancing gender equality and the empowerment of women in the maritime sector.

This year’s IMO International Day for Women in Maritime (May 18) focuses on embedding gender equality at every level of the maritime industry, both on shore and at sea.Under the theme “From Policy to Practice: Advancing Gender Equality for Maritime Excellence”, the day highlights actions to translate international ambitions and commitments into tangible actions that will make a difference in the lives of women in the sector, from seafarers to shore side professionals.IMO Secretary…

Korean Register (KR) announced that it is serving as the Coordinator of two International Maritime Organization (IMO) expert groups in key marine environmental areas: ammonia effluent management and response procedures for nitrogen oxides (NOx) reduction strategy failures.As international pressure to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from ships intensifies, ammonia-fueled vessels are gaining traction as a zero-carbon alternative to conventional marine fuels. However, ammonia's high toxicity means that ammonia effluent can be generated during vessel operation…

Last week at MEPC 84, the Committee approved a technical guidance circular on co-optimizing propulsion equipment for energy efficiency and underwater radiated noise at the design and retrofit stage.The circular seeks to clarify potential trade-offs between noise mitigation and conventional propeller design to promote the co-benefits of quiet ship technologies and energy performance.Case studies presented at an earlier workshop demonstrated that retrofits, such as propeller upgrades…

The Maritime Safety Committee meets for its 111th session from 13-22 May 2026.The meeting is expected to adopt the goal-based International Code of Safety for Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS Code).The MASS Code aims to address the functions needed for safe, secure, and environmentally sound operations of MASS insofar as they are not adequately or fully addressed in other applied IMO instruments, while ensuring that required safety levels are maintained when implementing remote controlled or autonomous operation of key functions.

The Marine Environment Protection Committee of the IMO concluded its 84th session with a commitment to rebuild consensus on global shipping emissions.Nearly 100 delegations took the floor this week to voice their views on the adoption of “mid-term measures” to address GHG emissions from ships - known as the IMO Net-Zero Framework - with multiple proposals tabled on how to take forward negotiations.The Committee agreed to establish an intersessional Working Group to resolve various concerns and drive broader convergence on a global measure ahead of MEPC 85 in six months.

The IMO has formally adopted the world’s largest emission control area (ECA) in the North-East Atlantic Ocean, establishing stricter emissions limits for ships operating in one of the world’s busiest maritime corridors.The new ECA is expected to be fully implemented in September 2028 and covers the exclusive economic zones of France, Ireland, Portugal, Spain, the United Kingdom, Iceland, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands—a region home to more than 190 million people. It will also link existing ECAs in the Baltic…

A joint letter organized by the American Biofuels Maritime Initiative (ABMI) has been sent to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio ahead of this week's negotiations at the IMO MEPC 84 meeting in London. The effort is aimed at ensuring that global maritime decarbonization also translates into durable new demand for American biofuels and additional income streams for U.S. farmers and rural communities.In the ABMI letter, leading biofuel and agricultural stakeholders urge the Trump administration to champion a global maritime fuels framework that is technology‑neutral…

IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez opened the 84th session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 84), urging Member States to find convergence and make meaningful progress on the IMO Net-Zero Framework to cut global shipping emissions and set an example of effective multilateralism.His opening remarks:"Good morning, distinguished delegates, welcome to the 84th session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee.Situation in the Strait of Hormuz“Before turning to the work of this session…

IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez has called on all member states to support efforts to address the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, where around 20,000 seafarers remain trapped and unable to leave.In an informal briefing to member states and industry representatives, Dominguez confirmed that several vessels had been seized and detained in the region over the past few days. He urged maximum caution, considering potential mines present throughout the Strait and threat of further attacks on ships. “My call is to release the seafarers because they are not at fault,” he said.

The shipping industry is getting ahead of discussions at MEPC 84 next week by reaffirming their commitment to the IMO.BIMCO, CLIA, ICS, INTERCARGO, INTERFERRY, INTERTANKO and WSC, representing the global commercial shipping fleet, issued a statement saying they remain committed to pursuing the ambition established within the 2023 IMO Strategy on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships, having invested and committed billions of dollars to trial and implement the use of alternative…

BIMCO, CLIA, ICS, INTERCARGO, INTERFERRY, INTERTANKO and WSC, representing the global commercial shipping fleet, have issued a statement in support of the IMO ahead of the next Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 84) meeting next week.The industry associations remain committed to pursuing the ambition established within the 2023 IMO Strategy on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships, having invested and committed billions of dollars to trial and implement the use of alternative fuels and innovative technology.Following the postponement…

Four States deposited their instruments of ratification of the International Convention on Liability and Compensation for Damage in Connection with the Carriage of Hazardous and Noxious Substances by Sea, 2010 (2010 HNS Convention), bringing the treaty’s entry into force a step closer. The 2010 HNS Convention aims to ensure adequate, prompt, and effective compensation for those affected by incidents involving hazardous and noxious substances (HNS) carried on seagoing ships. This…

The IMO Facilitation Committee (FAL) has approved a global strategy for maritime digitalization as well as cybersecurity measures for maritime single windows.Meeting in London for its 50th session (23 - 27 March), the Committee approved the IMO Strategy on Maritime Digitalization which emphasizes interoperability, system standardization, data-sharing and effective data governance across organizations and jurisdictions.The Strategy establishes maritime digitalization as an overarching IMO policy…

Following the deaths of hundreds on cattle on the livestock carrier Spiridon II last year, Animal Welfare Foundation reports that Turkish importers are taking legal action against the livestock dealer.The Spiridon II was stranded off the Turkish coast for several weeks after a month-long voyage from Uruguay when the consignment of around 2,900 dairy cattle was rejected by local authorities. Court transcripts translated by Animal Welfare Foundation indicate that 58 cows died in transit to Turkey…

The IMO Council condemned attacks on merchant ships and the purported closure of the Strait of Hormuz during an extraordinary session in London and called for an internationally coordinated approach to security.The Council directed IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez to establish a safe maritime framework, as a provisional and urgent measure, to facilitate the safe evacuation of merchant ships currently confined within the Gulf region.“I am ready to start working immediately in negotiations to establish a humanitarian framework to evacuate all vessels and seafarers trapped…

The IMO Sub-Committee on the Ship Systems and Equipment (SSE) held its 12th session from March 9 to 13, 2026. ABS has issued guidance on the significant issues progressed at the session including the proposed amendments to the LSA Code.The amendments introduce a new paragraph in Chapter IV requiring that partially enclosed lifeboats installed on or after 1 January 2032 be equipped with a means of supplying sufficient air to maintain CO₂ concentrations below 5,000 ppm for the full number of occupants…

The IMO has called an Extraordinary Council meeting to discuss situation in Middle East. The meeting will focus on the impact on shipping and seafarers in the Arabian Sea, the Sea of Oman and the Gulf region, particularly in and around the Strait of Hormuz.The session will be held on March 18 to 19 at the IMO headquarters in London, United Kingdom, to be chaired by Victor Jiménez of Spain.The Extraordinary Session (C/ES.36) is convened following requests from several Council Members.IMO…

Seafarers must not be targets, says Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez after the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said it had received a report of an incident six nautical miles north of Oman in the Strait of Hormuz. Media reports indicate the deaths occurred onboard a tug assisting the container ship Safeen Prestige.Dominguez said: “I am alarmed and deeply saddened to hear of a deadly attack on a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz on 6 March 2026, in which at least four seafarers have reportedly lost their lives and three severely injured.

The Secretary-General of the IMO Arsenio Dominguez has issued a statement on the situation in the Strait of Hormuz:“I am deeply concerned by reports that several seafarers have been injured in attacks on merchant vessels. No attack on innocent seafarers or civilian shipping is ever justified. These crews are simply doing their jobs and must be protected from the effects of wider geopolitical tensions.“Freedom of navigation is a fundamental principle of international maritime law…

On February 18, as part of the official engagements with maritime stakeholders in the Philippines, Arsenio Antonio Domínguez Velasco, secretary-general of the IMO, visited NYK-Fil Maritime E-Training Inc. (NETI) and NYK-TDG Maritime Academy (NTMA), the NYK Group’s training center and maritime academy in the Philippines.The visit included a tour of NETI’s advanced simulator facilities, showcasing cutting-edge maritime education and training technologies that support global shipping operations.