Imo News

The Maritime Safety Committee met for its 109th session at IMO Headquarters in London from December 2 to 6, 2024. The outcomes include:Amendments to mandatory IGC and IGF Codes adoptedThe Committee adopted amendments to Chapter 16 of the IGC Code, related to the use as fuel of cargoes identified as toxic products, in the context of alternative fuels and new technologies. The amendments are expected to enter into force on July 1, 2026. The Committee adopted amendments to parts A and A-1 of the IGF Code relate to ship design, fire safety, ventilation and other safety issues.

The Poseidon Principles, which represents nearly 80% of global ship finance, has published its fifth Annual Disclosure Report, showing progress towards decarbonised shipping.Continued growth of climate transparency from financial institutions shows that the global finance portfolio for shipping has moved closer to alignment with ambitious decarbonisation trajectories set by the IMO, aiming to remove emissions from international shipping by 2050.The report showcases the climate alignment of 35 major financial institutions across 14 countries.This year’s report…

A new study by UCL and UMAS, which analyzed ship movements between 2018-2022, found that optimizing port arrivals to consider port congestion or waiting times could reduce voyage emissions by up to 25% for some vessel types.The average potential emissions saving for the voyages is approximately 10% for container ships and dry bulkers, 16% for gas carriers and oil tankers and almost 25% for chemical tankers. The study finds that these ships spend between 4-6% of their operational time…

The third meeting of the Joint ILO–IMO Tripartite Working Group to identify and address seafarers’ issues and the human element met in Geneva, Switzerland, between November 26–28 and adopted Guidelines on Fair Treatment of Seafarers detained in connection with alleged crimes.The objective of the Guidelines is to ensure that the human rights and legitimate interests of seafarers involved in alleged crimes are recognized, that seafarers detained in connection with alleged crimes are treated fairly by public authorities…

In light of the evolving regulatory landscape for ammonia as a maritime fuel, and the recent finalization of the IMO’s draft interim guidelines on ammonia, the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) has withdrawn Unified Requirement UR H1, “Control of Ammonia Releases in Ammonia Fuelled Vessels.”The news comes ahead of its scheduled implementation date of January 1, 2025. IACS says the decision stems from the differences between its safety parameters and those outlined in the IMO Interim Guidelines.

Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez will lead IMO’s delegation to the annual UN Climate Change Conference (COP 29) to be held in Baku, Azerbaijan, from November 11 to 22, 2024.The 29th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) will bring together world leaders along with an estimated 40,000 delegates representing governments, civil society and the private sector for discussions on how to address climate change.In line with the Paris Agreement on Climate Change under the UNFCCC…

IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez has completed a series of visits to countries in the Red Sea area to discuss the current situation and express support for freedom of navigation as well as concern for innocent seafarers, particularly those who remain captive with the MV Galaxy Leader.Yemen’s Houthis seized the roro Galaxy Leader and its 25 seafarers in the Red Sea on November 19, 2023.Dominguez said: “The continuous attacks on ships and seafarers in the Red Sea are endangering innocent human lives, affecting the entire shipping industry and therefore the global economy.

The Panama Maritime Authority (PMA) has introduced a legal mechanism enabling the immediate revocation of registration and navigation licenses for vessels in the national merchant fleet that appear on international sanctions lists. Additionally, any other navigation documents issued by the PMA will also be invalidated.On October 18, 2024, Executive Decree No. 512 was published in the Official Gazette, outlining the cancellation of vessels or registered owners listed in the following:• Sanctions Lists issued by the U.S.

The IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee MEPC 82 met from 30 September to 4 October 2024 and discussed a range of environmental matters, including proposed mid-term measures for the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from ships, enhancing energy efficiency of shipping, tackling marine litter, ballast water management and underwater noise reduction.Tackling climate change - cutting GHG emissions from shipsThe Committee made progress on the development of mid-term…

The IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) held its 82nd session from September 30 to October 4, 2024, with outcomes including the adoption of the Canadian Arctic and the Norwegian Sea as NOx, SOx and PM Emission Control Areas.The relevant MARPOL amendments will enter into force on March 1, 2026.DNV reports that for the Canadian Arctic:• The 0.10% fuel sulphur content requirement takes effect from March 1, 2027.• Tier III NOx requirements will apply to ships constructed (keel-laid) on or after 1 January 2025…

The IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC82) opened on Monday, and the Caribbean islands – Jamaican, Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Barbados, Dominica, the Grenadines, Grenada, Trinidad & Tobago, St Kitts, St Lucia and St Vincent – are calling for participants to agree on a fuel levy as part of IMO’s mid-term measures for reducing GHG emissions.The states want a universal GHG levy on shipping emissions which ensures that all carbon emitters contribute proportionately.

The IMO is celebrating World Maritime Day on 26 September by highlighting the importance of safety at sea in an era of significant transformations and new risks and 50 years since the adoption of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS).SOLAS was first adopted in 1914, in response to the Titanic disaster. It is widely recognized as the most important international treaty on maritime safety. The Convention in force today was adopted on November 1, 1974.

The Cargo Integrity Group is calling on national administrations to carry out and report the findings of their container inspection programs, and for the IMO to continue collating and publishing the results in a publicly accessible form.The group is alarmed that the IMO is considering discontinuing the practice. Its future is being decided in meetings taking place this week at the meeting of the Sub-Committee on Carriage of Cargoes and Containers (CCC 10).Under resolutions adopted…

Data from the International Chamber of Shipping’s Barometer Report 2023-2024 indicates that improved clarity from governmental bodies such as the IMO has had a positive impact on the industry.Following a formal agreement at the IMO’s MEPC 80 to reach net zero GHG emissions by or around 2050, confidence is on the up. Almost 50% of C-suite maritime stakeholders responding to the ICS Barometer in 2023-2024 indicated improved willingness to invest in low and zero-carbon solutions following IMO agreement…

Wendy Laursen’s article Getting the Numbers Right, published in the August issue of Maritime Reporter, sparked debate from ballast water management experts. Here Mark Riggio, owner of Simplify Ballast, LLC, provides his feedback on the article which outlines the challenges the industry has faced trying to reduce the occurrence of invasive marine species transferred by ballast water.I felt it was important to speak out about this article for a number of reasons, but mostly because the tone of the article is out of touch with where the industry is heading…

The second Women in Maritime Survey has been launched to gather baseline data about women’s participation in the maritime and ocean fields.Conducted every three years by the IMO and the Women's International Shipping & Trading Association (WISTA International), the survey takes a global snapshot of how many women work in these sectors and in what roles.The aim is to analyze trends and support the creation of programs and policies to boost women’s participation in maritime. The previous study…

Captain Ian Finley, Permanent Representative of the Cook Islands to IMO, has been selected as the recipient of the prestigious International Maritime Prize for 2023. The decision was made by the IMO Council at its 132nd session (July 8 to 12, 2024).Captain Finley was nominated for the award by the Government of the Cook Islands. As a delegate to IMO, representing Panama and latterly the Cook Islands, he has been an active participant in the development of virtually all safety…

The IMO Council met for its 132nd session from July 8 to 12, 2024, at IMO headquarters in London, and among the key outcomes of the meeting were the decisions to live-stream plenary sessions of the Council and make Council meeting documents accessible to the public.Decisions on advancing multilingualism, improving the Global Integrated Shipping Information System (GISIS) and supporting the sustainability of the IMO Member State Audit Scheme were also taken.The Council is the executive organ of IMO and is responsible…

“Our Ocean - Our Obligation - Our Opportunity” has been selected as the IMO's World Maritime Day theme for 2025, which will culminate in the celebration of World Maritime Day on September 25, 2025.The IMO Council, meeting for its 132nd session, endorsed the theme following a proposal by IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez.The theme reflects the ocean’s vital role in the world economy, with more than 80% of global trade transported by sea. The ocean is a source of jobs and food for millions of people…

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), working with the governments of Bahamas and Liberia, is proposing a “feebate” (rewards) mechanism to ensure delivery of the IMO’s target to achieve net zero GHG emissions from international shipping by or around 2050.At the heart of the proposal is a GHG Fee, charged to ships per tonne of CO2 equivalent (CO2e) emitted, combined with a “feebate” mechanism to incentivize the accelerated production and uptake of zero/near-zero GHG marine fuels…

Following positive response and encouraging conversations with IMO member nations and other stakeholders, the World Shipping Council (WSC) has further developed the Green Balance Mechanism, a regulatory measure designed to ensure that shipping meets its net-zero goal by 2050 in an efficient, just and equitable way.A detailed proposal, including design updates and regulatory text for the Green Balance Mechanism, has been submitted to support the timely development of effective…

The Methanol Institute (MI) has been granted consultative status by the IMO.Consultative status is reserved for non-governmental, international organizations that have the capability to make a substantial contribution to the work of IMO. MI will now be able to attend meetings as an observer and offer expert input on discussions in plenary and working groups.MI aims to use its consultative status to work more closely with member countries to establish robust regulatory frameworks for low-carbon shipping fuels…

CIMAC has been officially granted consultative status with the IMO.CIMAC is the leading global non-profit association promoting the development of ship propulsion, train drive and power generation.Eero Lehtovaara (ABB Marine and Ports), CIMAC VP Digitalization, said: "There are still many opportunities to optimize the status quo in shipping. Just think of efficiency gains through digitalization, for example. We want to encourage the maritime industry to embrace digitalization and implement it.