About the IMO

The work of the IMO is based on Member States proposing, deliberating on and adopting regulations and guidelines. In practice, this process is conducted by experts from the Member States working jointly in various themed committees to debate the proposals presented.

The majority of the IMO work takes place in the technical committees and sub-committees. The Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) and the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) are particularly important to Danish interests, but the Danish Maritime Authority follows the work of all committees and sub-committees in order to promote Danish interests on all maritime issues.

Steering the overall direction of IMO's work at the strategic level is done by the Council and the Assembly.

The Council is the executive body of the IMO, which continuously prioritizes and coordinates the Organization's work. The Council is made up of 40 Member States, whom are thus able to significantly influence the direction of work. To this end, it is a strong priority for Denmark to be elected as a member of the Council when elections are held every second year.

The Assembly is the primary deciding body of the IMO. It is made up of all the Member States. The Assembly adopts resolutions and approves the overall strategic direction and budget of the IMO. In addition, the Assembly elects the Council.

You can learn more about the role and work of the various bodies at the webpage of the IMO

IMO facts

  • 175 Member States
  • Main HQ located in London at: 4, Albert Embankment, London SE1 7SR, United Kingdom
  • Website: www.imo.org
  • Contact: info@imo.org
  • Secretary General: Kitack Lim from South Korea
  • Arsenio Antonio Dominguez Velasco (Republic of Panama) has been elected as the Secretary-General from January 1st 2024

Contact

Maritime Regulation and Legal Affairs