International Maritime Organization
IMO, the International Maritime Organization, is a specialized United Nations body responsible for the safety of navigation and the prevention of marine and air pollution from ships. IMO’s work supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. As a specialized body of the United Nations, the IMO is the global body responsible for setting standards for the safety, protection and environmental performance of international transport. Its main function is to create a fair and efficient regulatory framework for the globally recognized and applied maritime industry. In other words, its function is to provide a level playing field, so that shipowners do not run their financial affairs simply by making concessions to safety, protection and the environment. This approach also promotes innovation and efficiency. Shipping is a truly international industry and can only function effectively if rules and standards are agreed, approved and implemented internationally. And IMO is the stage where this process takes place. International shipping transports over 80% of global trade to people and communities around the world. Shipping is the most efficient and cost effective method of international transportation for most goods. It provides a reliable and inexpensive way of transporting goods around the world, facilitates trade, and helps build wealth between nations.
