“Our oceans, our obligation, our opportunity” has been selected as the 2025 global maritime theme of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), culminating in the celebration of World Maritime Day on 25 September 2025. The IMO Council , meeting at its 132nd session, approved the motto at the proposal of its Secretary General of the IMO, Arsenio Domínguez.
The motto reflects the vital role of the ocean in the global economy, as more than 80% of global trade is transported by sea. The ocean is a source of employment and food for millions of people, home to countless marine species and a regulator of the planet’s climate, mitigating the effects of climate change. As the largest user of ocean space, shipping has a central role to play in protecting the marine environment and managing ocean resources.
Arsenio Domínguez, stated: “Our long-standing commitment on this issue is evident in the IMO’s strong global regulatory framework that supports cleaner, safer seas and a growing portfolio of technical assistance initiatives to support ocean protection in our 176 Member States.
The new slogan emphasizes the link with ongoing international efforts to protect the oceans, including the conclusion of the agreement on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity in areas outside the national jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement), the negotiation of a new instrument to address plastic pollution and the third United Nations Ocean Conference, which will take place in June 2025.
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