IMO Assembly Elects New 40-Member Council

The Assembly of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has elected new members of its council for the 2018-2019 biennium.

Category (a) includes ten states with the largest interest in providing international shipping services:

China, Greece, Italy, Japan, Norway, Panama, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, United Kingdom, United States.

Category (b) comprises ten states with the largest interest in international seaborne trade:

Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, India, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, United Arab Emirates.

Category (c) encompasses 20 states not elected under (a) or (b) above, which have special interests in maritime transport or navigation and whose election to the council will ensure the representation of all major geographic areas of the world:

Bahamas, Belgium, Chile, Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya, Liberia, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, Peru, Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey.

The council is the executive organ of IMO and is responsible, under the assembly, for supervising the work of the organization. Between sessions of the assembly, the council performs all the functions of the assembly, except that of making recommendations to governments on maritime safety and pollution prevention.

The newly elected council will meet, following the conclusion of the 30th Assembly, for its 119th session on December 7 and will elect its chair and vice-chair for the next biennium.

The 30th Assembly of IMO is meeting in London at IMO Headquarters from November 27 to December 6, 2017. All 172 member states and three associate members are entitled to attend the assembly, which is IMO’s highest governing body.

The assembly, which meets once every two years in regular session, is responsible for approving the work program, voting the budget and determining the financial arrangements of the organization. It also elects the organization’s 40-member council.