World Maritime Day theme 2025
"Our Ocean, Our Obligation, Our Opportunity"
World Maritime Day 2025
The
World Maritime Day 2025
took place on 25 September 2025. This year's World Maritime Day theme was
"Our Ocean, Our Obligation, Our Opportunity"
. Several initiatives were held to commemorate the Day, including:
Lighting up landmarks:
IMO Headquarters was bathed in blue light in the evening of the day to promote this year's theme. IMO invited Member States, intergovernmental organizations in cooperation with IMO, and non-governmental organizations in consultative status with IMO to light up landmarks. Please find the
photo gallery here
. Read more details
here
Special screening
of the film
“Ocean with David Attenborough”
at the IMO headquarters. Please see the photo album
here
Social media participation:
IMO invited Members States and everyone in the maritime industry to celebrate the day by using the hashtag
#WorldMaritimeDay
and tagging IMO on social media (
X, formerly Twitter
and
). The sector shared how IMO and the shipping sector works to protect the ocean:
Download digital cards (via flickr album)
IMO Secretary-General Message
Watch IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez video message on the World Maritime Day theme 2025:
Please click on the image below to watch the Secretary-General message in French and Spanish
French
Spanish
Read video transcript here:
Arabic
Chinese
French
Russian
Spanish
IMO Secretary-General goes back to school for World Maritime Day 2025
IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez went back to school to speak with children about the importance of protecting the ocean and to launch the World Maritime Day theme for 2025:
"Our Ocean, Our Obligation, Our Opportunity"
Watch the video below:
View the Photo album
: IMO Secretary-General and school children launch World Maritime Day theme 2025
Our Ocean, Our Obligation, Our Opportunity
The World Maritime Day theme for 2025
"Our Ocean, Our Obligation, Our Opportunity"
reflects the ocean’s vital role in the world economy, with more than 80% of global trade transported by sea. The ocean is a source of jobs and food for millions of people, a home for countless marine species, and a regulator of the planet's climate, mitigating the impacts of climate change.
As the largest sector operating in the ocean space, shipping has a central role to play in the protection of the marine environment and management of ocean resources.
IMO’s long-standing commitment on this issue is evident in the robust global regulatory framework supporting cleaner, safer seas, and a growing portfolio of technical assistance initiatives to support ocean protection in 176 Member States.
The theme emphasizes the link to wider global efforts to protect the ocean including the conclusion of UN Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (
BBNJ Agreement
), the negotiation of a new instrument to address plastic pollution and the third UN Ocean Conference in June 2025.
The theme will allow all stakeholders to showcase the deep interconnection of shipping and IMO in the ocean space, highlighting the importance of collaboration and coordination to ensure the sustainable and safe use of ocean resources.
Click here to view in full screen
Download digital cards (via flickr album)
Please note the digital cards may only be used "as is" and should not be altered
World Maritime Day Parallel Event
The
World Maritime Day
Parallel Event
will be celebrated in the United Arab Emirates on 29 September to 1 October 2025. Please find all the information
here
IMO's work to protect the ocean
Over many decades, IMO has developed and adopted mandatory rules, recommendations and guidelines to protect the marine environment from any potential negative impact of shipping. These include
binding treaties
applied on ships globally. The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (
MARPOL
), first adopted in 1973, covers pollution from oil, dangerous chemicals, packaged goods, sewage and garbage, and harmful emissions from ships.
Other marine environment related treaties cover: the dumping of wastes at sea (
London Convention and Protocol
); managing ships’ ballast water to prevent the spread of potentially invasive aquatic species (
Ballast Water Management Convention
); control of
anti-fouling systems
; and
preparedness and response
for spills of oil or chemicals.
These international regulations are supported by technical assistance programmes and projects that support Member States to tackle specific challenges such as marine plastic litter, greenhouse gas emissions from ships, and the spread of invasive aquatic species through ballast water and biofouling.
IMO's work in these areas directly support the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly:
SDG 14 on life below water;
SDG 13 on climate action;
SDG 9 on industry, innovation and infrastructure; and
SDG 17 on partnerships.
IMO's work to protect the ocean
Marine environment
IMO and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)
UN World Oceans Day 2025
(8 June 2025)
UN 2025 Ocean Conference
(9 -13 June 2025)
IMO Events
World Maritime Day
Day of the Seafarer
IMO Awards
Message from UN Secretary-General
Arabic
Chinese
French
Russian
Spanish
Message from IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez
Arabic
Chinese
French
Russian
Spanish
Related links
IMO projects to protect the oceans
Photo album - IMO Secretary-General and school children launch World Maritime Day theme 2025
Background paper 2025
Digital board 2025
Archives
Click here