Monaco at the 34th Assembly of the International Maritime Organization

Monaco participe à la 34ème Assemblée de l'OMI ©DR

A Monegasque delegation, led by Isabelle Rosabrunetto, Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, and Armelle Roudaut Lafon, Director of Maritime Affairs, attended the 34th session of the Assembly of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), held at its London headquarters from 24 November to 3 December 2025.

France has taken over the presidency of the major international body for the next two years and Her Excellency Marine de Carne, formerly the French Ambassador to Monaco, was elected to the role with Monaco’s support.

The session saw Member States address a number of important maritime challenges, with discussions focusing on maritime safety in the context of a rising number of “shadow fleet” vessels operating illicitly, the continuing threat of piracy, and the growing issue of communication jamming at sea.

The disruptive impact of emerging technologies was another key topic for debate, and developing countries stressed the need for support to help them adapt, either from the IMO or from Member States directly.

One of the items on the agenda was air pollution from shipping, but no agreement was reached, with many countries calling for further work to secure a broad consensus, noting that “cleaner” fuels, while essential to climate and environmental goals, currently generate additional costs that will ultimately be borne by consumers.

During the session, Monaco officially joined the “Quiet Ocean” coalition led by Canada and Colombia. The initiative seeks to reduce underwater noise generated by shipping, which poses a serious threat to whales and other marine mammals, and is fully in line with Monaco’s long-standing commitment to protecting marine ecosystems, including through the ACCOBAMS and Pelagos Agreements.

The session also included elections for the next IMO Council, the organisation’s executive organ. The Council is made up of 40 Member States divided into three groups reflecting the size of their national fleets and designed to ensure fair geographic representation. Competition for seats on the Council has intensified in recent years, with European countries facing growing pressure, particularly from oil-exporting states.