The Council of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has supported the reappointment of Arsenio Dominguez as Secretary-General, which will allow him to continue at the head of the UN maritime agency for a further four years.

His proposed second term will be from January 1, 2028 to December 31, 2031, subject to approval by the IMO Council. The recommendation will now go to the IMO Assembly for consideration and approval of the appointment when it meets in late 2027.

“I am very grateful for the confidence placed in me by the member states and I want to reaffirm my commitment to the priorities of the organisation,” Dominguez said following the Council’s decision.

I wish to express my deep appreciation to the Members of the Council and to all Members of the Organization for their continued trust and support. "I will continue to heed your advice and play my part in our common endeavor in support of global shipping and seafarers,” he said.

Since assuming office on 1 January 2024, Dominguez has guided the IMO through a particularly challenging period for the international maritime sector. A key issue facing the industry during his time has been the shift to decarbonization, with the organization facing considerable political and regulatory pressure over the direction of its climate policy.

A key part of this was the delay of the IMO’s Net Zero Framework (NZF) at last year’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) meeting after heavy political lobbying. The framework is scheduled to return to the agenda for a vote at the MEPC meeting on 4 December, with the outcome closely watched across the global shipping industry.

His time in office has also coincided with increasing geopolitical tensions, particularly in the Black Sea and the Middle East. Security threats to commercial vessels and seafarers in these regions have been on the rise, and Dominguez has repeatedly condemned attacks on maritime transport and those working at sea.

Dominguez’s first election came in July 2023 at the IMO Council’s 129th session. He was elected by the Council, which consists of 40 IMO Member States, for an initial term of four years beginning on 1 January 2024. He was then formally confirmed in his position by the IMO Assembly at its 33rd session in December 2023.

With this latest decision, the Council has made a major move toward the renewal of his leadership, although the final confirmation of a second term still relies on the approval of the IMO Assembly in 2027.