Singapore's Senior Minister of State for Transport and Sustainability Dr Amy Khor to Attend 33rd Session of International Maritime Organization Assembly

1.     Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Transport and Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment, will lead the Singapore delegation to attend the 33rd Session of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Assembly in London, United Kingdom, from 27 November to 1 December 2023.

2.     Established in 1948, the IMO is a specialised agency of the United Nations and the global standards-setting authority for the safety, security, and environmental performance of international shipping. In addition to its main role to create a regulatory framework for the shipping industry that is fair, effective and universally adopted, the IMO also facilitates cooperation among governments on technical matters affecting international shipping, such as maritime safety and prevention of pollution from ships. Comprising 175 member States, the IMO Assembly convenes every two years and elects its 40-member Council for the upcoming biennium to supervise its work.

3.     At the 33rd IMO Assembly, ministers and senior maritime officials from around the world will discuss issues and developments relating to maritime digitalisation, decarbonisation and technical cooperation. The IMO Assembly is expected to approve the Organization’s work programme and budget and adopt its Strategic Plan for the six-year period from 2024 to 2029.

4.     Singapore will be seeking re-election to the IMO Council for the 2024- 2025 biennium at the upcoming Assembly session. Singapore has been making active contributions to the IMO and the international maritime community as an IMO Member State since 1966, and as an IMO Council member since 1993. This includes serving in various leadership positions such as the Vice-Chair of the Marine Environment Protection Committee and Chair of the Council Working Group on the Strategic Plan, as well as contributing to global maritime leadership training and capacity development for the international maritime community through the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) Academy.

5.     During her visit, Dr Khor will meet with her counterparts from other IMO Member States, Mr Kitack Lim, Secretary-General of the IMO, and Mr Arsenio Dominguez, Secretary-General elect of the IMO, to discuss transport issues.

6.     Dr Khor will be accompanied by officials from the Ministry of Transport and MPA.