Back المنظمة البحرية الدولية Arabic Organización Marítima Internacional AST Beynəlxalq Dəniz Təşkilatı Azerbaijani Міжнародная марская арганізацыя Byelorussian Международна морска организация Bulgarian আন্তর্জাতিক সমুদ্র চলাচল সংস্থা Bengali/Bangla Međunarodna pomorska organizacija BS Organització Marítima Internacional Catalan ڕێکخراوەی نێونەتەوەییی دەریاوانی CKB Mezinárodní námořní organizace Czech

International Maritime Organization

International Maritime Organization
AbbreviationIMO, OMI
Formation17 March 1948 (1948-03-17)
TypeUnited Nations specialised agency
Legal statusActive
HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
Head
Secretary-General
Arsenio Dominguez
Parent organization
United Nations Economic and Social Council
Websiteimo.org
icon Politics portal

The International Maritime Organization (IMO; French: Organisation maritime internationale; Spanish: Organización Marítima Internacional)[1] is a specialised agency of the United Nations responsible for regulating maritime transport.[2] The IMO was established following agreement at a UN conference held in Geneva in 1948[3] and the IMO came into existence ten years later, meeting for the first time on 17 March 1958.[4] Headquartered in London, United Kingdom, the IMO, in 2024, has 176 Member States and three Associate Members.[5]

The IMO's primary purpose is to develop and maintain a comprehensive regulatory framework for shipping and its remit today includes maritime safety, environmental concerns, legal matters, technical co-operation, maritime security and the efficiency of shipping. IMO is governed by an assembly of members which meets every two years.[2] Its finance and organization is administered by a council of 40 members elected from the assembly.[2] The work of IMO is conducted through five committees and these are supported by technical subcommittees.[2] Other UN organisations may observe the proceedings of the IMO. Observer status is granted to qualified non-governmental organisations.[2]

IMO is supported by a permanent secretariat of employees who are representative of the organisation's members. The secretariat is composed of a Secretary-General who is periodically elected by the assembly, and various divisions such as those for marine safety, environmental protection and a conference section.[2]

  1. ^ "Introduction to IMO". International Maritime Organization. Archived from the original on 25 October 2015. Retrieved 28 August 2015.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Understanding UK Shipping. Witherby Publishing Group. 2017. pp. 14–29. ISBN 9781856097468.
  3. ^ Hoffman, Michael L. (4 March 1948). "Ship Organization Nears Final Form; U.N. Maritime Body Expected to Have 3 Principal Organs – Panama in Opposition". The New York Times. p. 51. Archived from the original on 15 April 2016. Retrieved 28 August 2015.
  4. ^ "History of IMO". Britannica. 14 May 2023. Archived from the original on 11 May 2015. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference IMO was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

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