Malaysia Retains IMO Council Seat for 11th Consecutive Term with Strong Vote Count
Kuala Lumpur, The Gulf Observer: Malaysia has secured the 13th position out of 20 contested seats, earning 129 out of 171 valid votes in its successful bid for re-election to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Council under Category C for the 2026–2027 term at the 34th Session of the IMO General Assembly.
In a statement on Saturday (Nov 29), the Transport Ministry confirmed that Malaysia has retained the seat for the 11th consecutive term. A total of 26 countries competed for Category C, including South Africa, Saudi Arabia, the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belgium, Chile, Cyprus, Denmark, the Philippines, Finland, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya, Malta, Egypt, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Peru, Qatar, Singapore, Thailand and Turkey.
The ministry noted Malaysia’s steady performance in recent election cycles, receiving 128 votes in 2021, 134 votes in 2023 and 129 votes in the latest 2025 ballot.
“This continued support reflects the confidence of IMO member states in Malaysia’s active role, record as a reliable maritime partner, as well as the country’s commitment to maritime safety, environmental protection and global capacity building,” it said.
The ministry attributed the successful re-election to strong cooperation and coordination among the Transport Ministry, the Foreign Affairs Ministry, the Marine Department, port authorities, and maritime industry representatives.
“This collective effort ensures that Malaysia continues to be recognised as a constructive partner in the international maritime community,” it added.
With the renewed mandate, Malaysia aims to further strengthen its contribution to capacity-building initiatives through the IMO Integrated Technical Cooperation Programme (ITCP). This includes offering technical expertise, professional training and human capital development, particularly to developing countries, least developed countries (LDCs), and small island developing states (SIDS).
“The ministry will identify IMO member countries that stand to benefit from Malaysia’s expertise directly. Malaysia is also committed to increasing its participation in the IMO’s main committees, including the Maritime Safety Committee, Marine Environment Protection Committee, Legal Committee, Technical Cooperation Committee and Facilitation Committee,” the statement said.
