The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has launched a global two-year initiative to advance the 2026-2027 World Maritime Day theme: “From Policy to Practice: Powering Maritime Excellence.”
IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez emphasised that IMO’s safety, environmental, and operational standards must move beyond adoption on paper to tangible, real-world implementation across the maritime sector.
“When we talk about ‘practice’, we mean people: seafarers, port staff, ship operators, recycling workers, and maritime regulators,” Dominguez said.
“Sustainability only works if high standards are applied consistently in every port and on every vessel worldwide.”
The campaign seeks to close enforcement gaps identified by the IMO Member State Audit Scheme (IMSAS), which highlights inconsistencies in national legislation and oversight that undermine compliance and safety.
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It focuses on nine key pillars: capacity-building and technical cooperation; tailored support for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs); safety through innovation; regulatory readiness for decarbonisation; tackling fraudulent ship registration; audit-driven improvements; digitalisation and operational resilience; cybersecurity and maritime security; and ocean protection.
IMO plans to implement the campaign through events, outreach, knowledge products, partnerships, and social media engagement.
Dominguez concluded: “It is time to move decisively from policy to practice, turning our collective decisions into results that benefit the global maritime community.”
For more information:
International Maritime Organization – https://www.imo.org/
