The Secretary‑General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Arsenio Dominguez, has welcomed the commitments made at the United Nations Ocean Conference (9–13 June) in Nice, France, while urging countries to implement these pledges promptly, according to IMO's release.
He said: “Commitments are a necessary first step, but they are not the finish line. We must now move beyond the statements and turn those words into real, measurable action. That will take all stakeholders coming together, sharing information, and aligning actions to bridge differences and drive progress”.
Dominguez led an IMO delegation to showcase efforts in marine plastic pollution management, protection against invasive aquatic species, reduction of underwater‑radiated noise, and maritime decarbonisation.
He emphasized IMO’s “decades‑long history of driving regulatory action” backed by technical support to member states.
The conference outcome document recognised the vital role of maritime transport, routes, and infrastructure in the global economy and added that reducing GHG emissions in the shipping sector remains a significant challenge.
During the event, the IMO welcomed the launch of the High Ambition Coalition for a Quiet Ocean, a group of 37 countries, including Canada and Panama, committed to reducing underwater noise pollution.
Side events co‑organised with France, Costa Rica, South Africa, Norway, and Fiji highlighted the revised 2023 guidelines on underwater radiated noise, the 2024 IMO Action Plan, and technical support programmes such as the GloNoise and TEST Biofouling projects.
Initiatives targeting invasive species from biofouling include a legally binding biofouling framework expected by 2027 and the GloFouling and TEST Biofouling Partnership Projects.
In addressing marine plastic pollution, IMO reiterated application of MARPOL Annex V and the London Convention/Protocol and detailed its IMO Strategy and 2025 Action Plan, supported by OceanLitter programme projects GloLitter, RegLitter, and PRO‑SEAS.
Dominguez called on the international community to sustain momentum and achieve measurable progress by the next UN Ocean Conference in 2028 to be held in Chile and the Republic of Korea.
International Maritime Organization (IMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations headquartered in London, responsible for regulating shipping. Dominguez has served as Secretary‑General since 1 January 2024.