The newly-elected leader of the International Maritime Organization said he was not afraid of shaking up the organisation to open it to wider scrutiny.
Panama’s Arsenio Dominguez, the victorious candidate from six hopefuls to succeed South Korea’s Kitack Lim, said the body he would lead from 2024 would be more transparent and prepared to embrace change.
It follows criticism from Finland, whose candidate was unsuccessful in Tuesday’s secret ballot, of the “cosy shipping community that we have here in London”. A group of nations has called for IMO meetings to be live-streamed to the public to bring it in line with the practice of the UN General Assembly.
The IMO had faced charges from the EU that it was losing its relevance in the campaign against climate change because of its unambitious goals before a deal earlier this month to hit net zero in shipping around 2050.
As head of the marine environment division, Dominguez trumpeted the triumph in his final pitch to council members on Tuesday after being seen as being a key figure in bringing the divided organisation together to back the programme.
“I’m not afraid of disturbing things a little bit to actually get change,” Dominguez told reporters after the vote.
Decisive moments
“I want to start internally and improve some of the procedures that we have in the organisation, increase the transparency and inclusivity as well as diversity,” he said.
Asked how an IMO would be different under his stewardship, Dominguez said he would be “decisive” in the moments when the parties had to be brought together.
He said he was looking for an organisation that is “not afraid to make changes” and be more flexible and open.
Dominguez said he wanted an organisation where “newer generations that are going to take over from us are ready to step in”.
