The Organization
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations, established under the 1948 Geneva International Convention, with the mandate of promoting maritime cooperation among Member States and to ensure the safety of navigation and the protection of the marine environment. The Organization currently has 176 Member States and is headquartered in London, United Kingdom.
IMO is organized into a General Assembly, which meets every two years (most recently in 2025), a Secretariat, a Council of 40 members, five main Committees, and nine Sub-Committees.
The current Secretary-General, Arsenio Dominguez (Panama), elected by the Council in 2023, has held office since 1 January 2024, with a mandate until 31 December 2027.
Italy is a member of the Council and is part of the select group of ten leading countries (Category A) that play a key role in the development of maritime transport, based on the size and importance of their merchant fleets. This recognition reflects Italy’s position as one of the States that have ratified the largest amount of international treaties in the maritime sector, as well as its modern, technologically advanced fleet, which ensures both safe navigation and protection of the marine environment.
At the most recent Council elections in 2025, Italy was reconfirmed in Category A for the 2026–2027 term, receiving the highest number of votes among the 40 elected members.
IMO Activities
IMO was established to regulate the international transport of passengers and goods through global standards, a sector that represents about 90% of world trade.
The Organization’s purpose is to ensure the implementation of the original Convention and, through the adoption of specific conventions, resolutions, and recommendations, to establish an efficient, universally accepted, and up-to-date regulatory framework for the maritime sector. The main areas of activity include:
- Maritime safety: developing and standardizing a comprehensive regulatory framework to ensure the safety of ships and human life at sea;
- Environmental protection: adopting measures to prevent marine pollution from ships, including waste management and energy efficiency;
- Global standards: establishing international standards covering all aspects of maritime transport of passengers and goods, crew training and deployment, ship construction, operation and ship recycling;
- Efficiency and innovation: promoting innovation and efficiency in maritime transport through the adoption of new technologies.
These topics are addressed by technical Committees (the Maritime Safety Committee, the Marine Environment Protection Committee, the Legal Committee, the Technical Co-operation Committee, and the Facilitation Committee), while decisions are deliberated by the Council and adopted by the General Assembly.
Italy’s Participation
Italy, one of the leading countries in terms of merchant, passenger, and cruise fleet size, contributes approximately 2% of IMO’s regular budget. Italy has been a Council member since the Organization’s establishment and participates in IMO’s activities through its Permanent Representation in London and Experts from relevant national administrations.
The Permanent Representative to the Organization is the Ambassador of Italy to the United Kingdom, supported by an Expert of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation serving as Deputy Representative, and by personnel from the Embassy in London, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, and the Italian Coast Guard.
References
- Italian diplomatic mission responsible for IMO matters: Embassy of Italy in London