Secretary-General of International Maritime Organization (IMO) expresses deepest condolences on death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim expressed his heartfelt condolences to the members of the Royal Family, the Government, the people of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the Commonwealth following the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

“It is with great sorrow and sadness that we have learned of the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The entire Membership of the International Maritime Organization and the staff share the grief with deep sympathy at this difficult time,” Mr. Lim said.

“I had the immense honour and privilege to meet Her Majesty here at IMO. Her genuine interest in shipping and maritime matters was remarkable,” Mr. Lim said.

The United Kingdom is the Host Country of the International Maritime Organization. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II opened the new building of IMO in 1983 and also visited the Organization to mark its seventieth anniversary.

Her Majesty unveiled a commemorative plaque and met the guests attending the event, including representatives of IMO Member States, inter-governmental and international non-governmental organizations, and IMO Secretariat staff.

Her Majesty’s dedication and service will continue to inspire everyone and will always be remembered.

IMO – the International Maritime Organization – is the United Nations specialized agency with responsibility for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of pollution by ships.

IMO today has 175 Member States and three Associate Members.

The Convention on the International Maritime Organization (IMO) was adopted on 6 March 1948 at the United Nations Maritime Conference held in Geneva, Switzerland.

The convention entered into force 10 years later, on 17 March 1958, when the 21st State ratified the treaty. IMO’s first meeting was held in London on 6 January 1959, at Church House in central London.

The IMO Headquarters building, located on London’s Albert Embankment on the south bank of the River Thames, was purpose-built by the United Kingdom Government for the Organization during the 1970s, with its foundation stone laid by His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, in 1979. The building was formally opened in 1983 by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

The Queen’s cousin, His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester re opened the building in 2008 following a major refurbishment. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II visited the IMO Headquarters for a second time in 2018.