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Panama’s Arsenio Dominguez voted as next IMO Secretary-General

Arsenio Dominguez from Panama has been elected as the next Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

2 Min Read
IMO Panama Twitter
Photo: @Nito Cortizo Twitter feed

Dominguez emerged victorious on Tuesday among a field of seven candidates following a secret ballot of the 40 member states of the IMO Council. He has been elected for an initial four-year term from 1 January 2024 subject to the approval of the IMO Assembly.

Dominguez will take over from South Korea’s Kitack Lim who will have served in the role for eight years.

It is understood the voting went to three rounds with Panama gaining 21 votes in the third round ahead of the candidates from Finland and Turkey.

Panama President Laurentino Cortizo Tweeted following the announcement: “For Panama, a maritime country election of Arsenio Dominguez son of the fatherland, fills us with pride. It is a historic day for us.”

Dominguez is the current Director of the IMO’s Marine Environment Division having served full time at the UN body for the last six years. Prior to that he worked for the Panama Maritime Authority for over 19 years, the final three years of which were as Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Panama to the IMO.

Guy Platten, Secretary General of the International Chamber of Shipping commented on the election:  “We look forward to working with Mr Arsenio Dominguez (Panama), and know that Mr Dominguez will lead with equal measures of authority, purpose and compassion.

Related:IMO announces seven secretary-general contenders

“The position of IMO Secretary General is not an easy one, and there are undoubtedly challenges ahead as the industry strives to meet the 2030, 2040 and 2050 targets [for GHG emissions], but it will be a pleasure to tackle these challenges head on with Mr Dominguez for a better and safer future for our industry and its people.”

The other six contenders for the Secretary-General post were: Mr Moin Uddin Ahmed (Bangladesh), Mr. Suat Hayri Aka (Türkiye), Dr. Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry (Dominica), Mrs. Nancy Karigithu (Kenya), Ms. Minna Kivimäki (Finland), and Mr. Zhang Xiaojie (China).

About the Authors

Michele Labrut

Americas Correspondent

Michèle Labrut is a long-time Panama resident, a journalist and correspondent, and has continuously covered the maritime sector of Central & Latin America.

Michèle first came to Panama as a press attaché to the French Embassy and then returned to the isthmus as a foreign correspondent in the 1980s.

Author of Seatrade Maritime's annual Panama Maritime Review magazine and of several books, Michèle also wrote for Time magazine, The Miami Herald, NBC News and the Economist Intelligence Unit. She has also collaborated in making several documentaries for the BBC and European and U.S. television networks.

Michèle's profession necessitates a profound knowledge of the country, but her acumen is not from necessity alone, but a genuine passion for Panama.

In 2012 she was awarded the Order of Merit (Knight grade) by the French Government for her services to international journalism and in 2021 the upgrade to Chevalier grade.

Marcus Hand

Editor

Marcus Hand is the editor of Seatrade Maritime News and a dedicated maritime journalist with over two decades of experience covering the shipping industry in Asia.

Marcus is also an experienced industry commentator and has chaired many conferences and round tables. Before joining Seatrade at the beginning of 2010, Marcus worked for the shipping industry journal Lloyd's List for a decade and before that the Singapore Business Times covering shipping and aviation.

In November 2022, Marcus was announced as a member of the Board of Advisors to the Singapore Journal of Maritime Talent and Technology (SJMTT) to help bring together thought leadership around the key areas of talent and technology.

Marcus is the founder of the Seatrade Maritime Podcast that delivers commentary, opinions and conversations on shipping's most important topics.

Conferences & Webinars

Marcus Hand regularly moderates at international maritime events. Below you’ll find a list of selected past conferences and webinars.

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