Óscar Puente reaffirms Spain's commitment to energy transition, multilateralism and safety and security in the maritime sector

The Minister for Transport and Sustainable Mobility, Óscar Puente, speaks at the 34th General Assembly of the International Maritime Organization

The Minister for Transport and Sustainable Mobility, Óscar Puente, has spoken at the 34th General Assembly of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), which began today in London, to defend the fundamental role of multilateralism, international cooperation and energy transition in the maritime sector. The Assembly served as an opportunity for the Minister to reiterate Spain's candidacy for re-election as a member of the IMO Council, the necessary step before running for the presidency, which it has held since 2021.

During his speech, the Minister highlighted "climate change, conflicts, geopolitical tensions, and disruptions to crucial shipping routes" as "some of the most significant risks facing global maritime trade". He also noted other growing challenges to ocean governance, such as "fraudulent registration and licensing, substandard vessels, and illegal operations".

The minister placed his remarks within a global context where "there is no shortage of voices advocating for the end of multilateralism", recalling that the IMO's primary founding objective is precisely "to establish a system of cooperation among governments". "Intergovernmental cooperation",

Puente noted, "has enabled the IMO to successfully advance in creating a regulatory framework for the maritime sector over the course of its more than 75-year history". For this reason, he reaffirmed the Government of Spain's "firm commitment and support for maintaining multilateralism and the values it represents".

Energy transition and ocean protection

The minister highlighted "decarbonisation and the need to transition to cleaner energy sources" as a dual challenge facing the sector. In this regard, Óscar Puente reviewed Spain's role in the IMO during its years as President of the Council, during which it has championed a "global emissions reduction regime". Proof of this is the National Action Plan for the Decarbonisation of Maritime Transport, recently approved by the Council of Ministers, which includes €250 million in aid for shipping companies to use renewable fuels and renew their fleets.

This plan, together with the Maritime Strategy 2025-2050, "will shape our maritime policy in the coming decades", the minister stated, adding that he wanted to offer Spain's experience in developing these instruments "to be shared with Member States within the framework of the IMO's integrated technical cooperation programme, as a demonstration of our commitment to strengthening capacity building".

On another note, Puente highlighted the impetus being given by Spain to carry out actions in defence of the oceans and their biodiversity, as demonstrated by its recent accession to the High Ambition Coalition for a Quiet Ocean, which was signed at the Nice Ocean Conference to address underwater noise pollution.

Spain, candidate for the IMO Council

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is the United Nations specialised agency with responsibility for the safety and security of shipping, and the prevention of marine and air pollution from ships. It has 175 Member States and 3 Associate Members. Its most prominent bodies are the Assembly, a governing body that meets every two years, and the Council, its executive body, composed of 40 countries elected at the Assembly.

Spain has been a member of the Council since 1973, and has held its presidency for the last four years. At this Assembly, Spain is again submitting its candidacy for election as a member of the Council, after which it could again run for the presidency. As the Minister emphasised during his address to the Assembly, Spain offers "cooperation, commitment, coordination, and consensus" with which to build and promote, together with all IMO Member States, "sustainable, agile, and resilient maritime transport that adopts green technologies and prioritises the energy transition, digitalisation, and greater international cooperation to ensure that no one is left behind in this challenge".

Non official translation