​The IMO Assembly is open to all 176 Member States and three Associate Members. Observers from accredited organizations also attend.

The Assembly of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) will meet for its 34th regular session from 24 November to 3 December 2025, to elect Members of the IMO Council and approve the Organization’s work programme and budget.

The Assembly is the highest Governing Body of the IMO, consisting of all Member States. The Assembly session will be preceded by the 135th session of the IMO Council (19-21 November).

Election of Council 

The Assembly, which meets every two years in regular sessions, elects the forty Members of the Council. The Council is the Executive Organ of IMO and is responsible, under the Assembly, for supervising the work of the Organization.

A new 40-Member IMO Council for the 2026-2027 biennium will be elected, including:

• Category (a): 10 States with the largest interest in providing international shipping services
• Category (b): 10 States with the largest interest in international seaborne trade
• Category (c): 20 States not elected under (a) or (b) above, which have special interests in maritime transport or navigation, to ensure representation of all major geographic areas of the world.

The candidates for the election are listed here. The election will take place on Friday 28 November, with an in-person, secret ballot.

The newly elected Council will meet on 4 December (for the Council’s 136th session) and will elect its Chair and Vice-Chair.

Strategic plan, budget and work programme    

The Assembly is expected to adopt the revised Strategic Plan for the six-year period 2024 to 2029 and the Organization’s budget and work programme for 2026 and 2027.

IMO Awards Ceremony  

IMO will host the IMO Awards Ceremony on the evening of the first day of the Assembly, 24 November from 5.00pm. The event will be held at IMO Headquarters in London, and will include the presentation of:

• International Maritime Prize for 2024
• 2025 IMO Honours for Exceptional Bravery at sea

More details can be found here.

Other resolutions     

The Assembly will adopt several resolutions on key aspects of the Organization’s work, including those covering:

• IMO Capacity Development Strategy
• Procedures for port State control, 2025
• Survey Guidelines under the Harmonized System of Survey and Certification (HSSC), 2025
• 2025 Non-exhaustive list of obligations under instruments relevant to the IMO Instruments Implementation Code (III Code)
• Framework and procedures for the IMO Member State Audit Scheme
• Code on Alerts and Indicators, 2025
• Criteria for the provision of mobile satellite communication systems in the global maritime distress and safety system (GMDSS)
• Charges for distress, urgency and safety communications through recognized mobile satellite services in the GMDSS
• Consolidated Text of the Convention on the International Maritime Organization
• Progressive use of Arabic as a working language of the Organization
• Criteria and procedures for live streaming to the public of IMO Assembly plenary meetings
• Rules of Procedure of the Assembly
• Relations with non-governmental organizations

Follow online 

Plenary sessions will be livestreamed on IMO’s Youtube Channel. The election of the Council will be held in person, via secret ballot and will not be livestreamed. Results will be shared via IMO on X and on the IMO website.

For more details about the meeting and FAQs, see – PREVIEW: IMO Assembly, 34th session, 24 November – 3 December 2025.