![Greece was elected to the first position of the IMO Council](https://shippingtelegraph.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/GREECE-IMO-1024x768.jpg)
Global recognition of Greece´s reliability, as a provider of quality maritime services, is her re-election to first place for the second time in a row, after the 2021 elections, with 146 votes against 162 valid, in Category “A” of the Council of the International Maritime Organization.
In Category “A” the countries with the greatest interest in the provision of shipping services are elected. The successful outcome of the vote, held within the framework of the 33rd Assembly of the Organization, is due to the coordinated actions of the Ministry of Shipping and Insular Policy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
On the occasion of the re-election of Greece to Category “A” of the IMO Council, the Greek Minister of Shipping and Island Policy Christos Stylianidis said:
“The re-election of Greece to the first place in IMO Category ‘A’ for the second consecutive time is an extremely important success of our country in a critical and difficult moment for international shipping. It confirms in the most emphatic way the trust and reliability of Greece as well as the excellent cooperation of our country with the Organization and its Member States. At the same time, it seals the dynamic and leading role of Greece in world shipping as well as its long-term and decisive contribution to the formation of international shipping policy and legislation, through the submission of concrete and realistic proposals as well as our continuous and active presence in the work of the Committees – Subcommittees of the organism.”
“I express my warm thanks to the IMO Member States who honored us with their trust and vote. Greece, with a high sense of responsibility, will continue to play a leading role and dynamically and constructively support the implementation of the IMO’s goals for safe, energy efficient, “green” and sustainable international shipping.”
“In this direction, we look forward to fruitful cooperation with the new IMO Secretary General, Mr. Arsenio Dominguez, with whom I already had a first meeting in London, as well as with the rest of the IMO Council Members, with the aim of implementing our commitments for effective addressing the impacts of climate change in a way that will enable a just and balanced transition that will ensure the smooth conduct of global maritime trade.”
“Finally, I express my warm thanks to all the involved staff of the Ministry of Shipping and Insular Policy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the coordinated efforts they made to promote the Greek candidacy and which led to today’s great success”.
The election process for the nomination of the 40 members of the IMO Council for the period 2024 took place on Friday 01 December 2023.
In Category “A” were elected, in order of election: Greece, Italy, Japan, China, Norway, Panama, Dem. of Korea, UK, USA, Liberia.
The IMO Assembly takes place every two years and is the highest organ of the Organization. The 33rd session of the Assembly is held at the IMO headquarters in London, from November 27 to December 6, 2023 with the participation of high-ranking delegations from all the Member States of the Organization.