Representing Our Members
2025 at the IMO
Representation at the IMO is consistently in the top four benefits our members value the most. Having held consultative status at the IMO since 2009, our headquarters staff and our Nautical Institute IMO Committee are dedicated to ensuring that the voice of seafarers is clearly heard at our global regulator.
Throughout 2025, our lead representative has ensured that our Institute is present throughout every IMO Committee and sub-Committee, as well as attending the regulatory working groups on subjects of greatest importance to our members.
Key achievements by your delegation at the IMO include:
- Lead authoring or joining co-sponsorship of 8 formal papers including: Maritime Autonomous Surface Ship trials safety; cargo fumigation; alternative fuel training; and seafarer fatigue.
- Delivering 21 oral interventions in Plenary session on subjects that include: lifeboat ventilation; measurement of oceanic significant wave height; electronic nautical publications; and NAVTEX/NAVDAT message prioritisation.
- Delivering expert advice in working groups on thousands of lines of draft regulatory code or IMO guidance.
- Hosting 5 IMO delegations at the headquarters of The Nautical Institute, ensuring ever closer coordination of our mutual inputs to IMO regulatory development.
- Contributing to 4 correspondence groups including: cargo securing; and autonomous ship regulation.
- Interviewing 3 Heads of IMO Divisions, posing questions of key concern to our membership.
- Participating in 1 formal presentation to IMO delegates, focussed on Human Centred Design.
- Hosting 1 Official Reception for IMO delegates.
- Welcoming 14 volunteer experts to join our official delegation.
As 2025 slips into our representational wake, particular thanks are due to: our Institute IMO Committee for their tireless work in reviewing the positions and policies adopted by our official IMO delegation; our Sea Going Correspondence Group for their rapid answers to some rather niche questions as our policy positions have been developed; and our volunteer expert delegates who devote their time and expertise to boosting the quality of input our Institute delivers at the IMO.
If you are a full member of The Nautical Institute with specialist maritime knowledge, and you wish to volunteer as an expert member of our delegation, please do visit our website here: Become an IMO volunteer expert delegate.
If you are currently in a seagoing position onboard a vessel (or on leave between sea time) and wish to join our Sea Going Correspondence Group, please e-mail our IMO delegation on [email protected].
Your voice at the IMO: Watch what our delegates say about their involvement at the IMO