Arsenio Dominguez has been appointed as the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) until the end of 2031. This selection was approved at the 138th Council meeting of the organization in London with the support of 40 members of the IMO Council. With final confirmation from the IMO Assembly in late 2027, Dominguez will continue as Secretary-General from January 1, 2028, to December 31, 2031.
Challenges Facing the New Secretary-General
Dominguez, who was appointed to this position in January 2024, has faced increasing challenges during his first term in the areas of decarbonization of maritime transport and maritime security. He is working to align the disparate views of member countries regarding the Net-Zero Framework, which aims to introduce a global marine fuel standard and a carbon pricing mechanism.
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The aforementioned framework, which was tentatively approved in April 2025, faced strong opposition from the United States and Saudi Arabia last October, leading to its postponement. Negotiations to revive this agreement will continue in 2026, with a new round of talks scheduled from November 30 to December 3 in the Marine Environment Protection Committee.
Security Pressures in the Strait of Hormuz and Other Areas
The IMO is also under pressure to enhance commercial shipping security following ongoing attacks and disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea, and the Black Sea. These issues will be among the topics discussed in this week's Council meeting.
Arsenio Dominguez, the tenth Secretary-General of the IMO, previously served as the Director of the Marine Environment Division, Administrative Director, and Head of Office. He has represented Panama in this organization and has also chaired the Marine Environment Protection Committee. Dominguez succeeded Kitack Lim from South Korea in January 2024.
With serious challenges continuing in the areas of decarbonization and maritime security, Dominguez's second term could be of great importance and impact future trends in maritime transport.
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