Panama's Arsenio Dominguez Elected Next IMO Secretary General

by Ship & Bunker News Team
Tuesday July 18, 2023

The IMO Council has elected the candidate from Panama to be the UN body's next secretary general.

Arsenio Antonio Dominguez Velasco, nominated by Panama, was elected at an IMO Council meeting in London on Tuesday, the IMO said in a social media post. His appointment is subject to approval by the Assembly of the IMO later this year.

Dominguez chaired the organisation's Marine Environment Protection Committee from 1998 to 2017, presiding over the discussions that led to the implementation of the 0.50% sulfur cap for marine fuels in 2020. His most recent role has been as director of the IMO's Marine Environment Division.

Once approved, he will begin his first four-year term as secretary general on January 1, 2024.

The current secretary general, Kitack Lim, will step down on December 31 at the end of his term of office.

Lim first took on the role in January 2016, having been elected by the IMO Council in June 2015.