IMO Secretary-General outlines 2026 priorities for shipping

As 2026 gets underway, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez is sharpening the Organisation’s focus on delivery.

In a video address, Dominguez described 2026 as a turning point for the IMO — a year focused squarely on implementation.

Moving beyond policy development, the emphasis will be on concrete action and measurable results, aligned with the IMO’s world maritime theme, “From Policy to Practice – Powering Maritime Excellence.”

Seafarers remain at the centre of the agenda. With nearly 2 million people working at sea, Dominguez confirmed that the IMO will launch a major review of the STCW Convention to ensure training standards keep pace with emerging technologies, new fuels and evolving operational demands.

Progress on decarbonisation will also continue, as the Organisation advances work toward reducing GHG emissions from international shipping by or around 2050, with further developments expected in the months ahead.

Technology will be another focal point in 2026, particularly the finalisation of the IMO’s regulatory framework for autonomous ships.

In parallel, the IMO will continue to support implementation of the High Seas Treaty as it enters into force.

In October 2025, IMO Member States voted to adjourn a decision on proposed amendments to the MARPOL Convention, delaying progress on the organisation’s net zero framework for shipping.