The IMO Council has extended Secretary-General Dominguez's term for four years, despite opposition from six countries and ten abstentions.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council has decided to extend Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez's term for another four years. However, the voting in the 40-member Council revealed divisions within the organization, with six countries opposing and ten abstaining. The decision must be approved by the IMO General Assembly in 2027.
During the 138th Council meeting held at the IMO headquarters in London from November 2-6, 2026, a decision was made to extend Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez's term.
According to the official announcement made by the IMO on November 5, the Council supported Dominguez to serve a second four-year term from January 1, 2028, to December 31, 2031.
Council President Victor Jimenez announced that the decision, revealed on November 4, will be submitted for approval at the IMO General Assembly scheduled for late 2027.
The United States and Five Countries Opposed the Term Extension
According to information reported by Lloyd's List, Dominguez received support from 24 countries in a closed-door vote. Six countries voted against, while ten countries abstained.
The report indicates that the United States, the United Arab Emirates, the Greek Cypriot Administration, Malta, Greece, and Morocco opposed the extension of the term.
China, Japan, South Korea, and Liberia were among the countries that abstained.
The IMO did not publish the distribution of votes by country in its official announcement. Therefore, this information is based on reports from the international maritime press.
The voting took place during a period marked by disagreements regarding regulations aimed at reducing carbon emissions in the maritime sector.
Discussions on Decarbonization in Maritime Sector Continue
The decision to extend Dominguez's term coincides with a period when negotiations on the IMO's Net-Zero Framework aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions in global maritime transport are ongoing.
Regulations aimed at promoting the use of alternative fuels on ships and pricing greenhouse gas emissions remain contentious issues among member countries that have yet to reach consensus.
The IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee is scheduled to reconvene from November 30 to December 3, 2026, followed by an extraordinary meeting on regulations on December 4.
Dominguez: I Will Continue to Serve Mariners
Following the decision, Dominguez expressed his gratitude to the Council members and conveyed his satisfaction with the trust and support shown to him.
The IMO Secretary-General emphasized his determination to continue his work for global maritime transport and for mariners.
A citizen of Panama, Arsenio Dominguez was elected Secretary-General by the IMO Council in July 2023 and is set to assume office on January 1, 2024.
An architect by profession, Dominguez previously served as Panama's Permanent Representative to the IMO and held the position of Director of the Organization's Marine Environment Division.
IMO Condemns Attacks on Commercial Vessels
The Council meeting addressed not only the election of the Secretary-General but also the security of international maritime transport.
The IMO condemned attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, as well as attacks affecting Ukraine's maritime trade corridor in the Black Sea.
In his closing remarks on November 6, Dominguez recalled that a Filipino sailor lost his life in the attack on the VELOS SAPPHIRE tanker, stating that the number of sailors who have died since the onset of conflicts in the Strait of Hormuz has reached 25.
The IMO Council reiterated that international maritime trade routes must be kept open and secure, and that sailors should be protected regardless of their nationality.
The final decision regarding Dominguez's second term will be made by the IMO General Assembly in 2027.
Source: SeaNews Türkiye
