Cyprus hails ‘collective’ progress at global maritime talks

The Cyprus Shipping Deputy Ministry has welcomed the conclusion of the 13th IMO sub-committee session on pollution.

Officials described the resulting negotiations as a collective effort reflecting the country’s commitment to international maritime standards.

The International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez called on governments to translate regulation into real-world implementation, opening the meeting held on February 9-13, 2026.

Dominguez told delegates the 2026-2027 World Maritime Day theme, ‘From Policy to Practice: Powering Maritime Excellence’, reflects a push to ensure IMO rules become national law and daily operational practice.

The PPR sub-committee, he said, plays a central role in turning environmental commitments into practical standards.

Turning to the week’s agenda, he explained the meeting should aim to finalise revised guidelines under MARPOL Annex I covering systems for handling oily waste in machinery spaces and the associated regulations.

Meanwhile, work under MARPOL Annex II will continue assessing safety and pollution risks of chemicals transported in bulk.

Regarding MARPOL Annex IV, he said revisions are progressing to introduce measures ensuring the lifetime performance of sewage treatment plants.

At the same time, efforts addressing marine plastic litter remain a priority under MARPOL Annex V, while under Annex VI the committee will begin reviewing the NOx emission control and compliance framework and consider black carbon emissions in the Arctic as well as discharge water from exhaust gas cleaning systems.

Dominguez added that “the session launches work on a legally binding framework for controlling and managing ships’ biofouling, building on the 2023 Biofouling Guidelines and recently approved guidance on in-water cleaning.”

He noted the 154 submissions submitted to the session demonstrate strong engagement by delegations and stressed the challenge will be to deliver sound regulatory outcomes that improve shipping’s environmental performance and strengthen protection of the marine environment.

Expressing confidence in chair Anita Makinen of Finland and the Marine Environment Division, he wished delegates success in their deliberations and invited them to a welcome reception following the day’s work.