Global Maritime Leaders Convene in London for IMO 34th Assembly, 24 November–3 December 2025
Nov 25, 2025



PHOTO: IMO

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has officially opened the 34th Session of the IMO Assembly, bringing together 176 Member States, three Associate Members, and observers from international organizations to discuss key maritime priorities for the next two years.

Held from 24 November to 3 December 2025 at IMO Headquarters in London, the Assembly serves as the organization’s highest governing body and convenes biennially. The meeting is preceded by the 135th Session of the IMO Council.

This year’s Assembly centers on several high-impact agenda items, including the adoption of the revised IMO Strategic Plan for 2024–2029, approval of the biennial budget and work programme for 2026–2027, and extensive discussions on safety, environmental, and regulatory matters affecting global shipping.

Key resolutions expected to be adopted include:

●IMO Capacity Development Strategy 2025
●Updated Procedures for Port State Control
●Survey Guidelines under the Harmonized System of Survey and Certification (HSSC), 2025
●Revised non-exhaustive list of obligations relevant to the III Code
●Code on Alerts and Indicators, 2025
●Updated criteria for mobile satellite communication systems under the GMDSS
●Guidelines on charges for distress, urgency, and safety communications
●Proposal on the progressive use of Arabic as an IMO working language
●Criteria for live-streaming Assembly plenary sessions

A highlight of the event is the election of the 40-Member IMO Council for the 2026–2027 biennium, scheduled for 28 November 2025. The Council election is widely regarded as a key indicator of international influence and maritime capability among IMO Member States.

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Throughout the session, delegates are expected to address issues related to global maritime safety, environmental protection, seafarer welfare, and digitalization critical themes in the post-pandemic maritime landscape.

Decisions made during Assembly 34 will shape the IMO’s strategic direction and regulatory priorities for the coming years, significantly impacting shipping nations, seafarers, manning agencies, training centers, and maritime regulators worldwide.

PHOTO COURTESY: MARINA

Meanwhile, the Philippines participated in the IMO Assembly, headed by MARINA Administrator Sonia Malaluan, reaffirming the nation’s strong commitment to global maritime cooperation. Representing one of the world’s largest seafaring communities, the delegation engaged in key discussions to strengthen partnerships, advance training standards, and support the welfare and global mobility of Filipino seafarers.

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HAPPY NEW YEAR

As we welcome the New Year, we also honor the dedication and sacrifices of our seafarers who keep the world moving, even while far from home. Across oceans and time zones, you continue to work with discipline, strength, and professionalism, carrying not just cargo but the hopes of your families and our nation. May this New Year bring you safe voyages, calm seas, and brighter opportunities ahead. To all seafarers onboard and ashore, thank you for your hard work and commitment. Your service matters, your sacrifices are seen, and your journey is deeply respected. Wishing you a year filled with protection, progress, and safe homecomings.

Rizal and the Modern-Day Heroes of the Sea

On Rizal Day, the Philippines honors Jose Rizal, a patriot whose courage, discipline, and love for country helped shape the Filipino identity. Rizal served the nation not through comfort or convenience, but through sacrifice, conviction, and a deep sense of responsibility—values that remain relevant today. These same ideals live on in Filipino seafarers, our modern-day heroes of the sea. Like Rizal, they leave home and face uncertainty, enduring long separations, demanding work, and challenging conditions far from their families. Their sacrifices are quiet and often unseen, yet their contribution to the nation is immense. Through their professionalism, resilience, and integrity, seafarers carry the Filipino name across oceans, ports, and nations, representing the country with pride. Rizal believed that a nation’s progress depends on the character of its people. Filipino seafarers embody this belief every day as they support global trade, sustain the Philippine economy, and provide for their families back home. Their work strengthens not only industries, but also communities. As we remember Rizal’s legacy, we also recognize our seafarers as living expressions of his ideals. Different journeys, same purpose—service to the nation. Mabuhay ang mga bayani noon at ang mga bayani ng dagat ngayon. HAPPY RIZAL DAY


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