International Maritime Organization

The role and responsibilities of the IMO Executive Council

The Council is the executive organ of IMO and is responsible, under the Assembly, for supervising the work of the Organization. The Council is made up of 40 Member States, elected by the Assembly for two-year terms.

Category A

Category (A) 10 States with the largest interest in providing international shipping services.

Current members of the IMO Council For the period 2022 - 2023

Category B

Category (B) 10 States with the largest interest in international seaborne trade.

Current members of the IMO Council For the period 2022 - 2023

Category C

Category (C) 20 States not elected under (a) or (b) above, which have special interests in maritime transport or navigation and whose election to the Council will ensure the representation of all major geographic areas of the world.

Current members of the IMO Council For the period 2022 - 2023

Category A

Category A includes (10) members from Member States with great interests in providing international shipping services.

China, Greece, Italy, Japan, Norway, Panama, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.

Category B

Category B includes (10) members from Member States with great interests in international seaborne trade.

Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, India, Netherlands, Spain and the United Arab Emirates.

Category C

Category C includes (20) members from Member States with interests in maritime transport who are not elected in categories (A) or (B), provided that their election ensures the representation of all major geographical regions in the world.

The Bahamas, Belgium, Chile, Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya, Kuwait, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, Peru, the Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand and Turkey.

Candidate Member States - Category A

(9) Member States: China, Greece, Italy, Japan, Norway, Panama, Republic of Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.

Russian Federation is expected to re-candidate in the same category.

Candidate Member States - Category B

(11) Member States: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, India, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the United Arab Emirates.

Candidate Member States - Category C

(26) Member States: the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belgium, Chile, Colombia, Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Poland, the Philippines, Qatar, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey, Vanuatu and Peru.

UAE Significant Maritime Initiatives

Key pillars of the UAE’s competitiveness in the maritime sector and marine infrastructure

The National Committee for Trade Facilitation

The UAE has formed the National Committee for Trade Facilitation, which includes the sectors of maritime transport, aviation, land and railways within a unified national framework, fulfilling the requirements for implementing the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) of the World Trade Organization (WTO), including meeting the requirements of the Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic (FAL).

Unique and strategic geographical location

The UAE is proud of its unique coastline, as the port of Fujairah overlooks the eastern coast of the Member State, the Sea of Oman and the Indian Ocean and ranks second in the world among the three largest global suppliers of bunker fuel.

Marine Accident Response and Rescue

Within the framework of the National Emergency, Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA), the UAE seeks to achieve its policy regarding the necessary procedures for emergency crisis and disaster management. Additionally, several national emergency response plans have been developed and implemented, including marine accident response, rescue and marine emergencies, including combating oil spills from ships, and search and rescue plans.

UAE Global Maritime and Logistics Investments

The UAE hosts the headquarters of DP World, which is one of the world's leading and most efficient investors in managing and operating international ports. It currently operates 181 container terminals in 64 Member States. The UAE is also home to Jebel Ali Port, which ranks ninth among the largest container ports in the world.

Maritime safety and shipping

The UAE is one of the founding members of the Riyadh Memorandum of Understanding (Riyadh MoU) that aims to achieve maritime safety and effective and efficient maritime transport in the Arabian Gulf region, as well as a unified system of port state control measures on foreign ships visiting the Member State's ports. It also works to intensify cooperation and exchange of information on issues related to port state control.

Capabilities of the national fleet and ports

The UAE is among the 20 largest container fleet owners in the world. It is one of the largest major port centres in the Arabian Peninsula. The Member State still maintains its leading position in the index of connectivity between sea lines in the region, and its ports have been ranked among the top ten international ports in terms of volume of container handling.

National Climate Change Plan

The UAE has prepared the National Climate Change Plan of the UAE 2017-2050, which aims to address the challenges of climate change, in support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Maritime safety and security in the UAE

Since the implementation of the ISPS Code in 2004, the UAE has sought to enhance the security and safety of navigation in its waters, by adopting more safety and security requirements. These requirements include the installation of identification devices for all fishing and pleasure boats. The additional requirements have been expanded to include all fishing ports, marinas and ports that receive ships that do not fall under the requirements of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), to ensure maritime safety and security.

The National Committee for Trade Facilitation

Marine Accident Response and Rescue

Maritime safety and shipping

National Climate Change Plan

Unique and Strategic Geographical Location

UAE Global Maritime and Logistics Investments

Capabilities of the national fleet and ports

Maritime safety and security in the UAE

The UAE’s Role in Supporting Sustainability in the Maritime Sector in the International Maritime Organization

Seafarers Support

Caring for seafarers working onboard ships is the mainstay in the maritime transport industry, and in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, the UAE has taken the initiative to classify seafarers as “priority workers” because they have been on the front line since the onset of the pandemic, providing critical services despite challenging circumstances. The Member State has also enabled them to return to their Member States.

COVID Vaccination

Vaccines against COVID-19 have been provided free of charge to all key workers, including seafarers and port employees working in the Member State's waters. In addition, all ports in the Member State are working round the clock to efficiently provide services to maintain uninterrupted flow of trade. The Member State provided all the necessary support to facilitate safe and secure crew changes.

Emission reduction

The UAE has contributed to the implementation of the International Maritime Organization's initial strategy on reducing greenhouse gas emissions from ships and will continue to support the development of the follow-up action plan and Fourth Greenhouse Gas Study 2020.

Maritime Education Support

The UAE is considered one of the first contributors to the efforts of the International Maritime Organization to establish the World Maritime University in Malmö, Sweden, since its establishment in 1983, through its active membership in the Board of Governors and the Executive Committee, between 1983 and 1991. This is in addition to the Member State’s participation in many national and international forums, which aim to transfer and exchange experiences in the field of maritime education and training.

As part of the UAE’s interest in the field of maritime training, the Member State established in Khorfakkan in the Emirate of Sharjah a branch of the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport, Sharjah branch, one of the academies of the League of the Arab States, which is headquartered in Alexandria, Egypt. The state has also established the Abu Dhabi Maritime Academy in the capital Abu Dhabi.

Empowering Women in the Maritime Sector

Empowering women to work in the maritime sector

Empowering women in the maritime sector

The UAE is considered as one of the leading Member States in supporting and empowering women in all fields, including the maritime sector, as it contributed to the preparation of the IMO’s Assembly Resolution No. A.1147 (31) titled “Preserving the legacy of the global maritime logo for the year 2019 and achieving a barrier-free work environment for women in the maritime sector”. It was adopted at the 31st session of the Assembly held at the end of 2019.

Supporting Gender Equality

The UAE is among the founders of the IMOGENder, a network for IMO delegates seeking to achieve gender equality. The network constitutes a forum for delegates of member states and observer delegations to the IMO, to work in a coordinated manner and exchange information, ideas and best practices aimed at achieving gender equality and enhancing the participation of women in the maritime sector.

League of Arab Women in the Maritime Sector

Arab Women in Maritime Association

The UAE is currently chairing the Arab Women’s Association in the Maritime Sector (AWIMA), in cooperation with the International Maritime Organization’s Technical Cooperation Programme (ITCP) in supporting women in the maritime sector, to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. In particular, the fifth goal on achieving gender equality.

Commitment to international agreements

The UAE has acceded and ratified 35 of the treaty instruments (conventions and protocols) of the International Maritime Organization, in addition to the application of these instruments within the national legislation, which was significantly reflected in the results of the report of the organization’s program for auditing member states (IMSAS), implemented in 2016. Its results revealed the degree of commitment of the maritime sector. In this regard, the UAE's levels are comparable to developed Member States in the field of maritime transport.

The UAE participated in a proposal to develop the best approach to the process of determining the regulatory scoping of Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) within the framework of the Maritime Safety Committee and the Legal Committee.

The UAE has contributed to the work of the Legal Committee by submitting a proposal to the Assembly’s decision, regarding the development of new measures to prevent illegal practices associated with fraudulent registration and false records of ships.

The UAE, in coordination with the International Maritime Organization's Technical Cooperation Department, hosted several regional workshops and other capacity building activities to help the IMO provide the capabilities needed to implement international maritime regulations and standards. In addition to submitting the Assembly Resolution Proposal on Funding and Partnership Arrangements for an Effective and Sustainable Integrated Technical Cooperation Program.

Supporting the IMO in achieving its strategic vision and directions

The UAE is committed to its responsibility of participating in establishing a sustainable platform for exchanging knowledge between member states with maritime administrations on best practices, providing added value to the technical and legal discussions held at the International Maritime Organization. It has contributed to proposals aimed at strengthening safety and maritime security regulations and preserving the marine environment.

The Member State sought to amend Article (81) of the IMO Convention, which previously included the use of only Spanish, English and French within the organisation. The UAE has proposed adding Arabic, Chinese and Russian Federation as equally authentic languages, and these amendments will require several years to be implemented.

The UAE contributed to amending the IMO agreement by submitting a proposal to increase the members of the organisation’s council to consist of 52 members instead of 40 members, to be included under three categories: Category A and Category B, which include 12 members and Category C, which includes 28 members, in addition to the proposal to increase the term of office of the Council for four years and increasing the quorum to become 34 members

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The role and responsibilities of the IMO Executive Council

Category A

Category B

Category C

Category A

Category B

Category C

Candidate Member States - Category A

Candidate Member States - Category B

Candidate Member States - Category C

UAE Significant Maritime Initiatives

Key pillars of the UAE’s competitiveness in the maritime sector and marine infrastructure

The National Committee for Trade Facilitation

Unique and strategic geographical location

Marine Accident Response and Rescue

UAE Global Maritime and Logistics Investments

Maritime safety and shipping

Capabilities of the national fleet and ports

National Climate Change Plan

Maritime safety and security in the UAE

The UAE’s Role in Supporting Sustainability in the Maritime Sector in the International Maritime Organization

Maritime Education Support

Empowering Women in the Maritime Sector

Commitment to international agreements

Supporting the IMO in achieving its strategic vision and directions

Last update on July 2021

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