Padmesh Prabhune

India has been re-elected to the IMO Council with the highest vote tally of 157 out of 167, for the 2024-25 biennium under the B Category of 10 states with “The largest interest in international seaborne trade”, showing GOI’s commitment to enhance India’s diverse contributions to global maritime operations.

Any country needs to garner minimum 82 votes to become a member.

Pic : The winning team led by the Secretary, MoPSW along with the High Commission of India, London and Director General Shipping at IMO headquarters around the bust of Mahatma Gandhi commemorated the historic win.

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Vote Counts: Total votes are 167 out of which Invalid – 4
India – 157, UAE – 157, Brazil – 154, Spain – 149, Australia – 147, France – 145, Netherlands -144, Germany – 142, Sweden – 141.

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The Council is the executive organ of IMO and is responsible under the Assembly for supervising the work of the Organization. The Council is made up of 40 Member States, elected by the Assembly for two-year terms in category (A) (B) & (C).

Also between sessions of the Assembly, the Council performs the functions of the Assembly, except that of making recommendations to Governments on maritime safety and pollution prevention.

The Assembly of the International Maritime Organization elected the following States to be Members of the Council for the 2024-2025 biennium: – Category (A): 10 States with the largest interest in providing international shipping services (listed in alphabetical order): China, Greece, Italy, Japan, Liberia, Norway, Panama, the Republic of Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Category (B): 10 States with the largest interest in international seaborne trade: Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, India, Kingdom of the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the United Arab Emirates

Category (C): 20 States not elected under (A) or (B) above, which have special interests in maritime transport or navigation and whose election to the Council will ensure the representation of all major geographic areas of the world: Bahamas, Bangladesh, Chile, Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, Peru, the Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and Türkiye.

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