Finland is a member of the International Maritime Organization’s Council

IMO (International Maritime Organization), which is part of the UN, plays a key role in developing international rules for maritime transport. The Council, consisting of IMO Member States, provides comprehensive guidance for the Organization’s work between the Assembly sessions.

Finland emphasizes three goals 

As a member of the council, Finland has better chances to further, among other things, these goals:

1. Sustainable shipping – a necessity and an opportunity

We need measures to curb global warming and promote sustainable shipping. Green growth, in other words ecologically sustainable economy and growth, offers enormous opportunities around the world.

Aiming for carbon neutrality by 2035, Finland is committed to the objectives set in the Paris Agreement on climate change and the IMO GHG Strategy, set to be revised, to limit the temperature rise. Finland advocates for global emission reduction measures for a global industry.

2. New technologies – harnessing the potential to promote safety and wellbeing

Digitalisation and automation have a great deal of potential to improve maritime safety, reduce emissions and develop better services. New technologies can also reduce the number of dangerous duties of seafarers and in that way improve their wellbeing.

3. Education and equality at the heart of maritime transport

Despite technological changes, people remain at the heart of maritime transport. Finland emphasises the social dimension of shipping.

Finland is a leader in education and gender equality. For decades, Finland has supported the least developed countries in education, allocating more than one third of its international development budget to that purpose. Finland also exports technology and environmental expertise through education. For example, the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom organises field courses for students at the World Maritime University, which was founded by IMO.