Arsenio Domínguez, the candidate from Panama, was elected Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) after yesterday’s vote that lasted until the fifth round.

Panama secured 11 votes in the first round, followed by Turkey with 10 votes from 40 members of the IMO Council, with Dominica’s candidate, Dr Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, being disqualified.

Then, Mr. Dominguez took Dominica’s three votes and another from Kenya in the second round to secure 15 votes, disqualifying Karigithu with four votes.

Kenya’s votes were then split between Panama and Finland, while China (Zhang Xiaojie), with five votes, was eliminated in the third round. In the final vote, Dominguez received 21 votes, Finland eight, and Turkey’s candidate 11.

Dominguez, who works at the secretariat as director of the marine environment division, was one of six candidates vying for the top shipping position. The three female candidates, Minna K (Finland), Nancy Karigithu (Kenya), and Dr. Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry (Dominica) were the first to be eliminated. The seventh candidate, Moin Ahmed of Bangladesh, withdrew in the early moments of the Council’s vote.

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Dominguez, who has a degree in naval engineering, has worked in the secretariat for more than a decade and began his shipping career working in a ship repair yard in Panama.

Part of his effort was his success in helping the 175 member-states to agree on a revised strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at the IMO two weeks ago.

His four-year term begins on January 1, 2024, with the winner succeeding the current head of the past eight years, Kitak Lim of South Korea.

Regarding the election of the new Secretary General of the IMO, the Union of Greek Shipowners commented in its announcement that it wishes Mr. Dominguez every success in the difficult task he is called upon to perform, while the Greek shipowners, with their know-how and experience, will continue to support the work of the IMO, aiming at the sustainability of the industry and the planet.

On the occasion of the election of the Panamanian candidate, the Minister of Shipping and Insular Policy, Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, stated that Greece welcomes the election of the Panamanian candidate, Mr. Arsenio Dominguez Velasco, as the Secretary General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and that it remains committed to the role of the IMO as a global legislator for safe, environmentally-friendly and efficient shipping, and will work with the new Secretary General and the IMO Member-States for the benefit of shipping, seafarers and the global community as a whole.

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