The International Maritime Organization’s Council has voted to appoint Mr. Arsenio Antonio Dominguez Velasco of the Republic of Panama, for an initial four-year term, as next Secretary-General, as of 1 January 2024, subject to the IMO Assembly’s approval.
The IMO Council voted to appoint Mr. Dominguez Velasco during its 129th session, which is meeting from 17 to 21 July 2023. The decision of the Council will be submitted to the IMO Assembly, which meets from 27 November-6 December 2023, for approval.
He apparently faced stiff competition from the candidate from Türkiye, Captain Suat Hayri Aka (a former government transport official, a sea-going captain and CEO of a shipping company), who received the second-highest number of votes in each of the four rounds of voting.
Mr. Dominguez Velasco narrowly edged out Capt. Aka by one vote in the first round of voting. In each subsequent round of voting , the candidate with the smallest number of votes was eliminated. In Round 2 of voting, Mr. Dominguez Velasco pulled ahead of Capt. Aka by five votes. In the fourth and final round, he out-polled all candidates combined.
About Mr Dominguez Velasco
Mr. Dominguez Velasco has been Director of IMO’s Marine Environment Division since January 2022. He joined the IMO Secretariat in 2017, first as Chief of Staff to the Secretary-General, Kitack Lim, before being appointed in 2020 as Director of the Organization’s Administrative Division.
Mr. Dominguez Velasco was born in the Republic of Panama. He graduated in 1988 with a Bachelor of Science degree from the Fermin Naudeu Institute in Panama. He went on to study Naval Architecture at the University of Veracruz, Mexico, graduating in 1995. Mr. Domiguez Velasco also holds an MBA from the University of Hull, and a Certificate of Higher Education in International Law and European Politics from Birkbeck University, both in the United Kingdom.
His maritime career began in 1996 as a port engineer at Armadores del Caribe in Panama before moving to become a Drydock Assistant Manager at Braswell Shipyard.
In 1998 Mr. Dominguez Velasco moved to London to join the Panama Maritime Authority as Head of the Technical and Documentation Regional Office for Europe and North of Africa. He went on to represent Panama in a variety of roles at the organization, culminating in 2014 with his appointment as Panama’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to IMO until 2017. Between 2014 and 2017, Mr. Dominguez Velasco chaired IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC), and in 2015 he chaired the Technical Committee of the 25th session of the IMO Assembly. Prior to this, between 2010 and 2014, he chaired the Maritime Security – Piracy and Armed Robbery Working Group under the auspices of the organization’s Maritime Safety Committee.
Industry reactions
Shipping Australia warmly congratulates Mr. Dominguez Velasco’s ascension to the highest office in the international maritime industry and wish him every success in leading our sector. We also acknowledge the work and achievements of the outgoing Secretary General, Kitack Lim, who led the IMO toward the historic declaration of a net-zero-emission goal by 2050 and we thank him for his leadership of our industry.
BIMCO Secretary-General & CEO, David Loosley, welcomed the new appointee: “on behalf of BIMCO, my sincere congratulations to Mr Arsenio Antonio Dominguez Velasco of the Republic of Panama on his appointment as IMO Secretary-General. In the years to come, the shipping industry, and the entire maritime sector, will be remembered for its actions taken on the path to decarbonisation. We look very much forward to continue working closely with the IMO and with Mr Dominguez who has pledged to work towards a diverse, transparent IMO, focused on crucial topics such as decarbonisation, safety, and automation”.
Guy Platten, Secretary-General of the International Chamber of Shipping, added his congratulations: ““We look forward to working with Mr Arsenio Dominguez (Panama), and know that Mr Dominguez will lead with equal measures of authority, purpose and compassion. The position of IMO Secretary General is not an easy one, and there are undoubtedly challenges ahead as the industry strives to meet the 2030, 2040 and 2050 targets, but it will be a pleasure to tackle these challenges head on with Mr Dominguez for a better and safer future for our industry and its people”.
Mr Platten also wished every future success to outgoing Secretary-General Lim, saying that he successfully steered the IMO through challenging times, calmly and with direction.
