The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is urging its 176 Member States and the wider shipping industry to accelerate the implementation of measures to protect the marine environment.
In a video message, Arsenio Dominguez, Secretary-General of the IMO, said: “At IMO, we take our responsibility to protect the ocean seriously. With shipping being one of the main users of the ocean space, it is the reason why we focus on enhancing our regulatory framework to reduce pollution and address new challenges, such as underwater radiated noise and transboundary species.
“Beyond setting the rules, we must put policy into practice,” aligning with the IMO’s World Maritime Day theme for 2026–2027: ‘From Policy to Practice: Powering Maritime Excellence’.
The IMO noted that over decades it has developed a comprehensive international regulatory framework aimed at preventing marine pollution, protecting marine biodiversity and supporting more sustainable shipping operations.
Key instruments include the MARPOL Convention on the prevention of marine pollution from ships, the Ballast Water Management Convention, the Anti-Fouling Systems Convention targeting the spread of invasive aquatic species, the Hong Kong Convention on ship recycling, and the London Convention and Protocol regulating waste dumping at sea.
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Recent progress has also been outlined across several priority areas.
On marine plastic pollution, Member States adopted the 2026 Strategy and Action Plan to Address Marine Plastic Litter from Ships, reaffirming the goal of eliminating plastic discharges from shipping by 2030.
On underwater radiated noise, the IMO has extended the trial phase of its revised guidelines to 2028 and plans to commission a study to support future regulatory development on impacts to marine life.
On biofouling, Member States agreed to develop a standalone legally binding instrument to manage hull fouling and reduce the transfer of invasive aquatic species.
Discussions are also ongoing on strengthening regulations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from shipping, reflecting the broader climate and ocean policy nexus.
For more information:
International Maritime Organization – https://www.imo.org/en
