Greece picks up most votes in election for IMO’s top council

Greece was elected as a top new council member-state in an International Maritime Organization (IMO) election for the 2022-2023 period, during the organization’s 32nd assembly on Friday.

The country’s representation picked up 150 out of a possible 157 votes, coming in first among 40 member-states in the top category of countries with the largest interest in providing international shipping services.

Greece’s election to the highest IMO Council for the first time demonstrates the country’s significant role as one of the leading forces in the field of international shipping, the Greek ministry of foreign affairs stated in an announcement.

Greek-controlled shipping interests comprise 20 percent of the world’s ocean-going trade total, while the Greek-flagged fleet is ranked eighth globally and second in the European Union (for 2020).