Ukraine and dark fleet continue to test IMO’s political boundaries on Russia

Ukraine is intensifying its diplomatic efforts within the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), seeking to bolster its maritime security against Russia’s ongoing attacks. 

The IMO, traditionally focused on technical and safety matters, now faces the challenge of addressing politically charged issues, such as Ukraine's request for a monitoring mission in Odesa, which will be discussed at next week’s IMO Council meeting. This request comes amid continuing Russian strikes on Ukrainian maritime infrastructure and vessels, presenting the IMO with a complex intersection of security and safety concerns.

Ukraine's efforts to gain IMO support reflect a broader shift in the organization’s dynamics, as political influence within the IMO has grown in response to global security concerns, particularly surrounding issues like decarbonization and international conflict. In recent years, countries such as the US and the UK have elevated the political stakes in their IMO delegations, signaling an increasing politicization of maritime governance. Ukraine, leveraging this shift, has also become more aggressive in its diplomatic approach, using its representation to push for a stronger international stance against Russia.

Ukraine’s submission to the IMO highlights Russia's repeated attacks on civilian ships and maritime personnel, framing Russia's actions as a direct violation of international maritime norms. The Ukrainian government has underscored Russia’s disregard for IMO decisions, especially in regard to the illegal export of Ukrainian grain from occupied ports. This rhetoric is part of Ukraine's broader campaign to seek international accountability and to disrupt Russia’s maritime operations in the Black Sea.

While Ukraine’s request for a monitoring mission has little precedent within the IMO, there are indications that it may gain sufficient backing to move forward, albeit likely through a technical rather than political process. Most experts anticipate that the request will be passed to the IMO’s technical cooperation sub-committee, which will assess it on administrative grounds, reducing the chances of it becoming a contentious political issue. This development suggests a growing inclination within the IMO to address such security concerns through technical channels rather than escalating them to the UN Security Council, thereby maintaining the organization’s neutral stance on sensitive political matters.

In addition to Ukraine’s security concerns, the IMO is grappling with the rise of the “dark fleet”—a shadowy network of aged and uninsured vessels used to circumvent sanctions, primarily for the transport of oil. The increasing use of these vessels has raised alarms within the IMO, particularly regarding their substandard safety measures and the risks they pose to the environment. The IMO’s International Oil Pollution Compensation Funds have called for stronger actions to prevent these vessels from operating without accountability. While the dark fleet issue is not formally on the Council's agenda, it is expected to dominate discussions, with many IMO members focusing on ways to address this growing threat through technical measures rather than political confrontation.

Ultimately, next week’s IMO Council meeting will serve as a critical test for the organization’s ability to balance its technical mandate with the increasingly politicized nature of global maritime security. The discussions will likely lay the groundwork for future technical papers and legal frameworks aimed at curbing unsafe shipping practices and strengthening maritime safety standards—both vital to addressing the growing risks in the Black Sea and beyond.

Source: Llyods List