Russia will find out today whether it has secured a return to the regulatory inner circle for shipping – or whether the political freeze is set to continue. Russia is trying to claw its way back into the IMO’s top decision-making body, holding one of the most politically charged council elections in years at the IMO Assembly in London.
The 40-seat council – divided into categories A, B and C – will be chosen by secret ballot today, with 48 candidates announced. Competition is noticeably fiercer than last cycle, but all eyes are on Class A, the group reserved for the 10 states with the “greatest interest” in providing freight services.
The Council is the executive body of IMO and is responsible, within the framework of the Assembly, for supervising the work of the Organization. The Council consists of 40 member states, elected by the Assembly for two-year terms.
In 2024-2025, it was unofficially voted out of Class A following its invasion of Ukraine – the first time in living memory it has been excluded. Now Moscow wants to return and restore the old pairing between Russia and the United States, both of which are traditionally fixed in first place. But what is confusing for Russia is the country’s reminder this week that it is delinquent on its payments to the International Maritime Organization. Washington’s renomination is sparking diplomatic talk, given President Trump’s well-publicized hostility toward United Nations institutions.
Otherwise, the composition of Category A remains unchanged, leading to a direct battle over whether member states are willing to rehabilitate Russia so quickly.
At the bottom of the ballot, Argentina is trying to break into Category B, while Category C has become a crowded field with six contenders – Belgium, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, South Africa and Thailand – vying to join the 20-seat group seeking to balance global geographic representation. Belgium, in particular, is campaigning vigorously after narrowly losing its long-held Council seat in the previous biennium.
