World Maritime Day 2026: powering maritime excellence by putting policy into practice

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is calling for the global application of safety and environmental standards as part of a two-year initiative – ‘From policy to practice: powering maritime excellence’ – which begins on World Maritime Day 2026 (24 September).

Arsenio Dominguez, secretary general at IMO, stressed the regulatory framework developed by IMO over the last 70 years to ensure ships operate and trade safely, efficiently and smoothly while protecting the environment, must not be adopted in principle. Adoption must include concrete actions and real-world results.

“When we talk about ‘practice’, we are talking about people,” he said. “The seafarers on the ship; the people in the port; those managing ship operations, ship recycling workers, port state control officers and flag state administrators. To make the maritime industry truly sustainable, we must ensure these high standards are felt in every port and on every deck – not selectively, not unevenly, but globally. IMO is committed to powering this transition through technical cooperation and direct support. Let us move beyond the conference room and turn our collective decisions into real-world results that benefit everyone. It is time to move decisively from policy to practice.”

The IMO believes its framework is most effective when adopted “widely and consistently” by Member States, but audits have identified gaps in national laws and enforcement in some countries. This weakens regulations and increases the risk of noncompliance and unsafe shipping.

The newly launched campaign aims to support member states’ understanding of IMO conventions to strengthen adoption and enforcement and will feature a series of events and outreach activities, knowledge products and partnership programmes, as well as social media engagement.

Throughout the campaign, the IMO will work with countries to boost their capacity to apply rules through legislative support, enforcement frameworks and training, as well as offer tailored assistance and technical support for small island developing states and least developing countries. The IMO will also provide updated training, oversight and risk management on fuels, automation and digitalisation. It also aims to support states regulatory readiness for decarbonisation; tackle fraudulent ship registration and maritime fraud through due diligence, transparency and data-sharing; and use audit findings to address legal and enforcement gaps.

Over the next two years the IMO will also work with member states to embed digital systems into daily port operations; integrate cyber risk management into safety management systems, training and port operations; and continue to protect the oceans through national laws and day-to-day maritime operations.

Find out more information on the dedicated World Maritime Day 2026-2027 web page