Decarbonizing Shipping with Arsenio Dominguez, Secretary General of the IMO

On this episode of EAH, Patrick Molloy, Alicia Eastman, and Chris Jackson are delighted to speak with Arsenio Dominguez, the newly appointed Secretary General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Recorded before the highly successful MEPC81, Arsenio describes his vision for the IMO and his confidence in solutions that will reduce emissions from shipping without penalizing member states.

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About SG Arsenio Dominguez:

Arsenio Antonio Dominguez Velasco is the tenth IMO Secretary-General, bringing with him more than three decades of experience serving the global maritime sector, across a spectrum of leadership roles of increasing scope and responsibility.

Initially representing his native Panama, first within the Panama Maritime Authority and in his lattermost appointment as Ambassador of Panama to the IMO, his affinity for building consensus saw him elected by his peers as Chair of several flagship IMO intergovernmental meetings, including: the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC), the Technical Committee of the 29th Assembly, and the Maritime Security, Piracy and Armed Robbery Group, as well as a number of Vice-Chair and Board member roles.

A naval architect at heart and by training, Mr. Dominguez gained his first degree at Veracruzana University, Mexico. Recognizing from the outset of his career the importance of a multi-disciplinary and multi-sectorial approach to the maritime sector, Mr. Dominguez later went on to pursue a Master of Business Administration (MBA) at the University of Hull, as well as an executive qualification in International Law and European Politics at Birkbeck University, both in the United Kingdom.

This agile approach served him well in better understanding the priorities and navigating the needs of the different stakeholders across the maritime sector, and indeed the complexities of a specialized UN agency whose mission it is to support them. In 2017, Mr. Dominguez harnessed this extensive technical and diplomatic knowledge and experience as a delegate for the benefit of IMO. He joined the Organization, first as Chief of Staff, followed by Administrative Director - leading the Organization through the COVID-19 pandemic. Directly prior to his election in July 2023 as Secretary-General, he was the Director of the Marine Environment Division.

His initial term as IMO Secretary-General was approved at the 33rd Assembly in December 2023.

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About the IMO:

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is the United Nations specialized agency with responsibility for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine and atmospheric pollution by ships. The IMO work supports the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The main role of the IMO is to create a regulatory framework for the shipping industry that is fair and effective, universally adopted and universally implemented.

Shipping is a truly international industry, and it can only operate effectively if the regulations and standards are themselves agreed, adopted and implemented on an international basis.

IMO measures cover all aspects of international shipping – including ship design, construction, equipment, manning, operation and disposal – to ensure that this vital sector for remains safe, environmentally sound, energy efficient and secure.

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Links:

IMO: https://www.imo.org/