Permanent Secretary Minna Kivimäki to advance Finnish participation in IMO during visit to London

Permanent Secretary Minna Kivimäki will visit London on 19–21 April 2023 to promote campaigns which seek a place for Finland at the heart of the International Maritime Organization, IMO. Ki-vimäki will meet key representatives of IMO Member States and maritime operators.

Finland is seeking membership in the IMO Council for the 2024–2025 term. In addition, Kivimäki is a candidate for Secretary-General of the IMO. 

“Maritime transport plays a key role in Finnish society and competitiveness and the IMO is central in developing international rules for maritime transport. Finland wants to promote sustainable and safe shipping, which is the reason we are seeking IMO Council membership,” says Kivimäki.

“I have been nominated a candidate for the post of Secretary-General of IMO. These are two sep-arate candidacies,” she says.

Finland has three goals in the IMO campaign:

Sustainable shipping – a necessity and an opportunity
New technologies – harnessing the potential to promote safety and wellbeing
Education and equality at the heart of maritime transport

The Council, consisting of IMO Member States, provides comprehensive guidance for the Organi-zation’s work between the Assembly sessions. The new Council Member States will be elected in December 2023.

The IMO Council will elect the new Secretary-General in July 2023 and the appointment will be approved by the IMO Assembly at the end of 2023. The elected Secretary-General will take office on 1 January 2024.

Inquiries:

Eero Hokkanen, Ministerial Adviser, tel. +358 295 342 021, [email protected]