The Assembly of the International Maritime Organization has elected the following States to be members of its Council for the 2002-2003 biennium:

Category (a): Eight States with the largest interest in providing international shipping services;

China, Greece, Italy, Japan, Norway, Russian Federation, United Kingdom, United States

Category (b): Eight other States with the largest interest in international seaborne trade;

Argentina, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, India, Netherlands, Sweden

Category (c): Sixteen States not elected under (a) or (b) above which have special interests in maritime transport or navigation, and whose election to the Council will ensure the representation of all major geographic areas of the world.

Australia, Bahamas, Cyprus, Egypt, Indonesia, Malta, Mexico, Nigeria, Panama, the Philippines, Poland, Republic of Korea, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Turkey

The 1993 amendments to the IMO Convention increase the size of the Council to 40 Members and enter into force on 7 November 2002. 

The expanded Council will comprise 10 States in each of Category (a) and Category (b) and 20 States in category (c).

The Assembly therefore agreed to elect the following additional States during the current meeting. These States will take their place on the expanded Council as soon as the amendments enter into force on 7 November 2002.

Category (a): Panama, Republic of Korea

Category (b): Bangladesh, Spain                    

Category (c): Chile, Denmark, Ghana, Honduras, Kenya, Lebanon, Venezuela

The Council is the Executive Organ of IMO and is responsible, under the Assembly, for supervising the work of the Organization.  Between sessions of the Assembly the Council performs all the functions of the Assembly, except that of making recommendations to Governments on maritime safety and pollution prevention.

IMO is the United Nations agency concerned with maritime safety and the prevention of marine pollution from ships. The 22nd session of the IMO Assembly is being held at its London headquarters from 19-30 November.

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For further information, please contact

Lee Adamson, Public Information Manager on 0207 587 3153

email ladamson@imo.org or

Natasha Brown, Information Officer on 0207 587 3274

email nbrown@imo.org