The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is the United Nations specialised agency responsible for improving maritime safety and preventing pollution from shipping.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is the United Nations specialised agency on marine and maritime affairs. It sets standards for international shipping by developing regulations that can be adopted and implemented globally. Its remit includes maritime safety, security, environmental and legal matters.
The IMO’s Assembly is the highest governing body of the IMO and includes all member States. The Assembly normally meets every two years and elects the Council made up of 40 member States. The Council supervises the work undertaken by the IMO’s specialised committees such as the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) and Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) and the number of subcommittees reporting to them, as shown in the illustration.