The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has called on its 176 member states and the global shipping industry to strengthen efforts to protect the marine environment, as World Oceans Day was marked on June 8. 

In his message for World Oceans Day, IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said shipping, as one of the main users of ocean space, has a clear responsibility to help safeguard the sea. 

“At IMO, we take our responsibility to protect the ocean seriously. With shipping being one of the main users of the ocean space, it is the reason why we focus on enhancing our regulatory framework to reduce pollution and address new challenges, such as underwater radiated noise and transboundary species,” Dominguez said. 

The IMO said that protecting the ocean remains central to its work, with the organisation focusing not only on developing international rules but also on making sure they are applied in practice. 

“Beyond setting the rules, we must put policy into practice,” Dominguez added, referring to the IMO World Maritime Day theme for 2026-2027, “From Policy to Practice: Powering Maritime Excellence”. 

Over the years, the IMO has developed a broad international regulatory framework aimed at preventing pollution from ships, protecting marine life and supporting safer and more sustainable shipping. 

This includes key global treaties such as the MARPOL Convention, which deals with the prevention of marine pollution from ships, as well as the Ballast Water Management Convention and the Anti-Fouling Systems Convention, both aimed at limiting the spread of invasive aquatic species. 

The framework also includes the Hong Kong Convention on ship recycling, together with the London Convention and Protocol on the dumping of wastes at sea. 

According to the IMO, these instruments form part of a wider effort to safeguard the marine environment at a time when shipping faces growing pressure to address pollution, biodiversity loss and climate change. 

On marine plastic litter, the IMO referred to the adoption of the 2026 Strategy and the Action Plan to Address Marine Plastic Litter from Ships. 

The strategy reaffirms the organisation’s goal of achieving zero plastic waste discharges to sea from ships by 2030. 

The IMO also pointed to work being carried out on underwater radiated noise, which can have harmful effects on marine life. 

The trial phase for the revised guidelines on the reduction of underwater radiated noise from shipping has been extended to 2028, while an IMO study is expected to be commissioned to support future measures. 

At the same time, member states have agreed to develop a standalone legally binding instrument for the control and management of ships’ biofouling. 

This is aimed at reducing the transfer of invasive aquatic species and protecting marine biodiversity. 

The IMO also said discussions are continuing on regulations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from ships, linking climate action more closely with ocean protection. 

The organisation said that, as shipping continues to play a vital role in global trade, its environmental responsibilities are becoming increasingly important.