The members of the Council of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) have renewed their confidence in Víctor Jiménez for the third consecutive two-year term as president of this executive body until 2027. The president of the Council is an executive position that directs, moderates, and makes decisions based on the opinions expressed by all member states, a difficult task, as decisions are made by consensus.
Following the recent election of the 40 members who will form the IMO´s executive body for the next two years, including our country in category B, Víctor Jiménez´s nomination was made by acclamation by the representatives of the 176 states that make up the IMO. It should be noted that Spain has been a member of the IMO since 1962 and of the Council since 1973, as one of the 10 countries with the greatest interests in international trade.
Dedication to the maritime sector
Víctor Jiménez´s CV highlights his dedication to the maritime sector. He began his career at the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility in 2004 as a maritime safety inspector at the Algeciras Port Authority, and later served as Deputy Director General of Maritime Safety, Pollution and Inspection at the Directorate General of the Merchant Navy until 2021, when he assumed the presidency of the IMO Council.
Jiménez is also our country´s representative to the IOPC Funds (International Oil Pollution Compensation Funds) and the IMSO (International Mobile Satellite Organization). In addition to his involvement in teaching, he is also committed to the maritime sector at the international level as head of the Spanish delegation to the assembly, the Council, and the committees, subcommittees, and working groups related to marine environment protection, maritime safety, and existing IMO regulations.
From now on
In the 2026-2027 biennium, the Council will be a key player in the challenges facing the International Maritime Organization, such as the development of the regulatory framework for autonomous navigation, support for seafarers, and the unblocking of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets set out in the IMO´s 2023 strategy, implementing specific and mandatory measures, which are currently stalled following the fiasco of the rejection of the Net-Zero Framework last October.
The re-elected president points out that “in this third term, we will face more ambitious challenges, so achieving the objectives will be more complicated” because “it is time to move forward and reach consensus on complex issues such as decarbonization or the application of new technologies in the field of maritime safety.”
Víctor Jiménez expressed his “complete willingness to work closely with all IMO bodies” to advance personal and environmental safety, while thanking the Council for its support and committing “to fulfill the principles defended during the re-election process,” in which he was backed in London by the Minister of Transport, Óscar Puente; the Director General of the Merchant Navy, Ana Núñez, and the President of Puertos del Estado, Gustavo Santana, among others.
News and image obtained: "El Canal"
https://www.diarioelcanal.com/victor-jimenez-sera-presidente-del-consejo-de-la-imo-dos-anos-mas/
