The IMO Council (International Maritime Organization) has decided to live-stream its plenary meetings and make its documents accessible to the public, in a bid to boost transparency in the organisation.

Meeting in London from 8 to 12 July for its 132nd session, the Council took a series of decisions to modernise its approach and operations. 

These include:

• Live-streaming plenary sessions of Council;
• Releasing Council documents and summaries of decisions to the public;
• Permanently establishing hybrid capabilities to enable for virtual and in-person participation in meetings;
• Enhancing multilingualism through a Strategic Framework for Multilingualism.

The Council noted the ongoing progress on upgrading and improving the IMO’s Global Integrated Shipping Information System (GISIS). GISIS is a comprehensive online hub for the collection, processing and sharing of shipping-related data. 

“My efforts continue on the modernisation and transparency of IMO,” Secretary-General Mr  Arsenio Dominguez stated in his opening remarks. “I will continue to seek efficiencies, from restructuring, to the best use of our financial assets, recruitment and the building facilities, to name a few, while I invest in those who make all these possible - the professional staff of the Secretariat.”

The Council is the executive organ of IMO and is responsible, under the Assembly, for supervising the work of the organisation. The Council is made up of 40 Member States, elected by the Assembly for two-year terms.

Read the full meeting summary of Council, 132nd session, here.

Photo: IMO Secretary-General Mr Arsenio Dominguez (left) with Chair of the 132nd session of Council, Mr Victor Jimenez Fernandez of Spain.