The work of the International Maritime Organization will be undermined by the suspension of Russia from a committee because of the war in Ukraine, Moscow has warned.
Russia called on the IMO’s governing body to condemn efforts to limit its role with the group’s technical cooperation committee as an act of retaliation that has no place within the United Nations regulator.
The complaint is the latest rearguard action being fought by Russia’s maritime administrators as it tries to retain its prominent position at the organisation.
Russia faces a rare contested vote on 1 December when it could be removed from one of the 10 seats allocated to members with the “largest interest in providing international shipping services” on the IMO’s executive body, the council. It has been a member for 63 years.
The vote to the council is the latest diplomatic battleground at the IMO pitting Russia against its critics after a decision last year by the technical cooperation committee to “suspend in principle” its right to receive cash for maritime development projects.
Moscow argued that the move was an attempt to “politicise” the committee’s work and could not be used as a pretext to secure IMO funding.
The council vote will be held at the two-yearly meeting of the 175-member assembly, which starts on Monday, when Russia will protest at attempts to exclude it from IMO work.
It will ask the assembly to “confirm the illegitimacy of any decision” by any IMO body to “suspend, limit or restrict IMO technical cooperation and condemn use of such measures as ‘retaliatory mechanisms’.”
The decision lies outside of the committee’s mandate and goes “contrary to and undermines the nature of this Organization”, according to a written submission by Russia before the assembly meeting.
Moscow has previously accused a minor group of nations of hijacking the work of the IMO and said the global body is devoting more of its “precious time to political issues”.
Ukraine and allies have tried to stem Russia’s influence at the IMO, citing its attacks on merchant ships and port facilities and the blockade of the grain trade.
Moscow has also sought to have ships detained if they are crewed by seafarers who have secured their papers from cities and institutions in occupied Ukraine.
The last election to the IMO’s council in December 2021 was a formality, with just 10 candidates for the 10 positions.
Liberia — one of the world’s largest flag states — has been encouraged to stand this time in a direct challenge to Russia’s position.
IMO watchers say 30 to 40 nations could snub Russia’s election bid because of the war. That could result in China, Greece, Italy, Japan, Norway, Panama, South Korea, Liberia, the UK and the US taking the 10 slots.
