The theme of World Maritime Day 2026 is: “From Policy to Practice: Powering Maritime Excellence”. It emphasizes a fundamental principle that guides the work of the International Maritime Organization (IMO): international rules only deliver their intended benefits when they are effectively applied in practice.
After more than seventy years of developing global regulations, conventions, codes and guidelines for shipping, the focus is increasingly on ensuring that these standards are implemented consistently and effectively around the world. ‘Regulations and implementation of maritime rules need to be global. We are in this together, the maritime world is interconnected. Global standards are only effective when all Member States have the capacity, resources and support required for implementation – and that is why we focus on supporting those countries which need assistance, through capacity development,’ explains Nebojsa Novcic, Business Development Officer at IMO. ‘IMO standards must be global because shipping is global. Ships travel across oceans and jurisdictions. We need to ensure that all States – flag States, port States, coastal States – have the same capacity to implement regulations so that international trade by sea is safe, secure and environmentally friendly’
Safer, more efficient transport systems
Maritime transport remains fundamental to global development and prosperity, carrying more than 80% of global trade, while approximately 50,000 merchant ships operate around the world every day, connecting countries, markets and communities (source: UNCTAD). There are multiple challenges that imperil the free access and international trade by sea. Not only because of climate change – effecting the water levels of the Panama Canal and the Suez Canal – or geopolitical conflicts. Novcic uses the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ship, as just one example of the role IMO plays, in translating rules into practical application. ‘Some of our colleagues are working with the biggest ship recycling States – Pakistan and Bangladesh – to improve ship recycling opportunities and facilities. How do we ensure that it’s a sustainable industry that’s respecting human and employment rights? International rules deliver their full value only when States can ensure they are implemented fully. What happens in other countries matters. We are completely linked because most shipbreaking takes place outside Europe. So a European ship owner – like every other shipowner – needs the confidence that approved ship breaking yards meet internationally agreed standards. That is why treaties like the Hong Kong Convention create opportunities and by supporting countries, we make sure the requirements are implemented.’
The transition from policy to practice must be inclusive and ensure that all countries can benefit from a safe, secure, efficient and sustainable maritime sector. (Source: IMO Annual Report 2025). To do so, IMO helps its 176 member states their ability to implement IMO-instruments and address evolving maritime challenges through technical cooperation, training, legislative assistance, knowledge-sharing, partnerships and institutional support. Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs) get support on topics like environmental protection and climate action. ‘From my perspective, the IMO story really begins with the important role that safer, more efficient transport systems play in delivering the Sustainable Development Goals in the long term. Not to mention the necessity of maritime rules to sustain the global supply chain resilience. We all need to support each other in this incredibly interconnected world that we live in to make lasting changes. It’s obvious that the implications of droughts on Panamanian Canal reach far beyond Panama. Issues affecting training or recruitment and retention of seafarers from seafarer supplying nations like the Philippines can ultimately have an impact on the Dutch economy. We’ve seen how big the impact can be when the supply chain is interrupted. And this is where regulatory approaches are so important. We see big impact from targeted approaches to capacity development and technical support to countries. And that is why our theme focuses on ‘policy to practice’. ”
