The Council of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the safety, security, health and well-being of seafarers amid continuing threats to international shipping.

Meeting for its 138th session at IMO Headquarters in London (2–6 November 2026), the Council reiterated that vital shipping lanes should remain open, safe and secure. It underscored that seafarers must be protected wherever they are and whatever their nationality, including in geopolitical disputes over which they have no control.

Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez emphasized:

“Seafarers continue to lose their lives, suffer serious injuries, face abandonment, are denied repatriation and are deprived of basic human necessities, including water, food and medical care, resulting from the ongoing geopolitical conflicts.”

He highlighted the death of another seafarer this week, following an attack on the M/T VELOS SAPPHIRE in the Strait of Hormuz on 5 November, bringing the number of confirmed casualties to 25 since the conflict in the Middle East began. In total, at least 130 attacks against commercial vessels in the region have been verified by IMO, with thousands of seafarers at risk, including those on ships that have been unable to leave the Persian Gulf.

The Council called on Member States to refrain from unlawful measures that would jeopardize the safety of seafarers and international shipping. The Secretary-General further committed to finding additional concrete measures IMO can take to help prevent further loss of life and alleviate the human cost of the crisis.

Global maritime security challenges

The Council strongly condemned attacks carried out by the Houthis against merchant and commercial vessels and their crews in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait, as well as attacks by the Russian Federation against merchant vessels, seafarers, port infrastructure, search and rescue assets and other maritime safety services supporting the operation of Ukraine’s special maritime corridor. It reiterated its commitment to the security and freedom of navigation in the Black Sea.

The Council noted the increase in piracy and armed robbery attacks in the Western Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden region, including 17 instances of attempted and actual piracy and armed robbery at sea in this region alone since the start of the year. It noted the work underway to address these developments, within the framework of the Djibouti Code of Conduct and its Jeddah Amendment.

The Council requested the Secretary-General to continue monitoring maritime security developments in these various regions and to keep Member States informed.

Other key decisions

Renewal of the Secretary-General’s mandate 

The Council decided to renew the mandate of IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Domínguez for another four-year term, concluding on 31 December 2031, and to make a recommendation to the 35th regular session of the IMO Assembly, in accordance with Article 22 of the IMO Convention. Read more

2027 IMO Gender Equality Award 

The Council decided to award the 2027 IMO Gender Equality Award to Ms. Yu Jiajia, nominated by China, in recognition of her significant personal achievements in overcoming barriers to women’s participation in the maritime sector. The award will be presented to Ms. Yu on 18 May 2027 (Women in Maritime Day).

The Council also endorsed the recommendation to award a Letter of Commendation to Ms. Gemma Griffin, nominated by Denmark. Read more

Revised Rules of Procedure approved 

The Council approved revised Rules of Procedure of the Council, related to suspension or adjournment of meetings, suspension and closure of debates, voting, and the concept of a point of order. It invited other IMO organs to consider the amendments with a view to harmonizing their respective Rules of Procedure with those of the Council.

Funding approved for IMO digital platforms 

The Council approved the Secretary-General’s funding proposal to complete the upgrade of the IMO’s Global Integrated Shipping Information System (GISIS) and develop an e-Learning platform, in an initial amount of GBP 2 million. With respect to additional funding requirements, the Council requested the Secretary-General to present detailed cost estimates, implementation timelines and recurring expenses for both initiatives to a future session of the Council.

Member States contributions to the Organization 

The Council noted the status of Member States’ contributions to the IMO’s General Fund and the Working Capital Fund, with a collection rate of 97.62%. The Council urged Member States with outstanding contributions to fulfil their financial obligations to the Organization in full and at the earliest possible opportunity.

Next Council session 

The Council noted the proposed dates for its 139th regular session, to be held at IMO Headquarters in London from 19 to 23 July 2027.