The International Maritime Organization - the International Maritime Organization - is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for the safety and security of maritime transport and the prevention of marine and air pollution from ships. The work of the International Maritime Organization supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.


As a specialized agency of the United Nations, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) is the global standard-setting authority for the safety, security and environmental performance of international shipping. Its main role is to create a regulatory framework for the shipping industry that is fair, efficient, internationally approved and applied globally.
International freight transports more than 80 percent of global trade to people and societies around the world. Shipping is the most efficient and cost-effective way of international transportation for most goods; It provides a low-cost, reliable way to move goods globally, facilitate trade and help create prosperity between nations and peoples.

The world depends on a safe, secure and efficient international shipping industry - and this is provided by the regulatory framework developed and maintained by the IMO.