Jakarta — The Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Arsenio Dominguez, has welcomed the outcomes of the UN Ocean Conference held last week in Nice, while calling on countries to move quickly from commitments to concrete action.
“Commitments are a necessary first step, but they are not the finish line,” Dominguez said on Tuesday, June 17. “We must now move beyond the statements and turn those words into real, measurable action.”
Dominguez, who led the IMO delegation, highlighted ongoing maritime efforts to curb marine plastic pollution, address invasive aquatic species, reduce underwater radiated noise, and accelerate the sector’s decarbonisation. He said IMO’s longstanding regulatory leadership in protecting the marine environment.
Key developments at the conference included the launch of the High Ambition Coalition for a Quiet Ocean, led by Canada and Panama, as well as an IMO side event that showcased new guidelines and an action plan on underwater radiated noise. Six countries are now receiving targeted support under the GloNoise Partnership Project.
In tackling invasive species, IMO spotlighted its upcoming global biofouling framework—slated for adoption in 2027—along with technical assistance efforts through the TEST Biofouling and GloFouling partnerships, and collaboration with industry via the Global Industry Alliance for Marine Biosafety.
To combat marine plastic pollution, Dominguez pointed to MARPOL Annex V and the London Convention/Protocol as critical regulatory tools, backed by the IMO’s 2025 Action Plan and OceanLitter Programme. A new Global Industry Alliance was also announced to support private sector engagement in reducing plastic waste from ships.
Dominguez concluded by urging governments and stakeholders to build on the momentum and deliver tangible results by the next UN Ocean Conference in 2028, to be hosted by Chile and the Republic of Korea. (nsh)
Banner photo: International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General, Arsenio Dominguez at the UN Ocean Conference held in Nice, June 9-13, 2025. (Source: IMO)
