India has been re-elected to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council for the 2026–27 biennium with highest votes.

About International Maritime Organization 

• The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations, tasked with ensuring the safety and security of shipping and preventing marine pollution from ships.
• IMO sets global standards for the safety, security, and environmental performance of international shipping.
• Establishment: IMO was established in 1948 following a UN conference in Geneva and officially came into existence in 1958.
• Headquarters: IMO is based in London and has 176 Member States and three Associate Members.
• India’s and IMO
  • Membership: India was one of the earliest members of the IMO, having ratified its Convention and joined as a member-state in 1959.
  • IMO Council Participation: India has been serving on the IMO Council consistently, except for two years (1983-1984).

Role of the IMO

• Regulatory Framework: The IMO’s primary responsibility is to create a fair, effective, universally adopted, and universally implemented regulatory framework for the global shipping industry.
• Legal Matters: It is also involved in legal matters, such as addressing liability and compensation issues, as well as facilitating international maritime traffic.
• World Maritime Day: The IMO celebrates World Maritime Day every last Thursday of September to raise awareness about the importance of shipping and maritime activities.

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Structure of the IMO

• The Assembly: The Assembly is the supreme governing body of the IMO, consisting of all member states. It meets every two years to approve the work programme, budget, and elect members to the Council.
• The Council: The Council functions as the executive body, overseeing the IMO’s activities between Assembly sessions.
  • Council Composition: The Council is composed of 40 member states, elected by the Assembly every two years.
  • The member states are categorized into three groups based on their maritime importance:
    • Category (a): 10 States with the largest interest in providing international shipping services.
    • Category (b): 10 States with the largest interest in international seaborne trade.
    • Category (c): 20 States not elected under (a) or (b), 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
• Major Committees: IMO has five major committees, which are responsible for policy development and the formulation of regulations. Notable among them is the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC).
• Committees and Subcommittees: The IMO operates through five main committees such as Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) and Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) and various subcommittees, which develop and adopt international conventions, codes, resolutions, and guidelines for the maritime sector.
• Key Conventions of IMO:
• • SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) Convention (1974): It establishes international standards for ship construction, equipment, and operational procedures to ensure the safety of ships and passengers.
  • MARPOL (Marine Pollution) Convention (1973/78): It aims to reduce pollution from ships, including oil spills, sewage, and hazardous cargo residues.
  • STCW (Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers) (1978): This convention sets minimum standards for the training, certification, and watchkeeping of merchant seafarers to ensure their competency in operating ships safely.
  • IMO Strategy on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships(2023 ) seeks to achieve net-zero GHG emissions by 2050.

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