From November 24 to 28, 2025, in London (UK), Deputy Minister of Construction Nguyen Xuan Sang led the Ministry of Construction 's delegation to attend the 34th General Assembly of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and work with relevant agencies in the maritime sector.
The IMO Assembly is the highest governing body meeting of IMO, held every two years; all IMO member states attend to determine policies and operating budgets for the next two years.
At the opening plenary session of the A34 session, Deputy Minister Nguyen Xuan Sang delivered an important speech, demonstrating Vietnam's strong commitment to the priorities of the IMO, including maritime safety, environmental protection, greenhouse gas emission reduction and promoting sustainable development of the maritime sector.
At the A34 session, member countries discussed important contents including: electing member countries to the IMO Council (executive body) for the next two-year term (2026-2027); adopting important Resolutions related to maritime safety, marine environmental protection, maritime security and other legal issues proposed by IMO's specialized committees.
In addition, the session also approved the IMO Strategy, Budget, and Work Plan for the 2026-2027 term; presented IMO Awards to individuals such as the International Maritime Prize and IMO Honours for Exceptional Bravery at Sea.
During the A34 session, Deputy Minister Nguyen Xuan Sang had a working session with Mr. Arsenio Dominguez, Secretary General of IMO. At the meeting, the Deputy Minister affirmed that Vietnam always attaches importance to and highly appreciates the central role of IMO in maintaining a safe, efficient and sustainable global maritime industry.
“Since joining IMO in 1984, Vietnam has always been an active and responsible member, seriously implementing 24 IMO conventions and related amendments, co-organizing and participating in IMO technical support programs and projects, contributing opinions to IMO technical committees and international cooperation programs and documents,” Deputy Minister Nguyen Xuan Sang emphasized.
Exchanging opinions at the working session, IMO Secretary General Arsenio Dominguez highly appreciated the results Vietnam has achieved in the maritime sector in recent times, acknowledged and is ready to support Vietnam's proposals through technical assistance programs and activities as well as sending IMO experts to assist Vietnam in reviewing and drafting the new Maritime Code.
On the sidelines of the meeting, the Vietnamese delegation also had a meeting and worked with the UK and US delegations. At the meeting with the UK delegation, the two sides discussed potential areas of cooperation, including maritime, inland waterways and measures to reduce carbon emissions in shipping in line with IMO's green transition goals.
Deputy Minister Nguyen Xuan Sang informed about the process of arranging and merging administrative agencies in the maritime and waterway sectors of Vietnam, along with the program of amending the Maritime Code and the Law on Inland Waterways Traffic; at the same time, he expressed his desire to learn from the UK's legislative experience and law implementation model.
Mr. Keir Alexander Mather highly appreciated Vietnam's reforms and affirmed his readiness to share the UK's experience in building and enforcing maritime and waterway laws.
At the working session with Rear Admiral Wayne Arguin (US Coast Guard, US Delegation), Deputy Minister Nguyen Xuan Sang highly appreciated the results achieved by both sides in the maritime field, notably the Vietnam-US Maritime Transport Agreement (signed on March 15, 2007); cooperation activities between Vietnam and the US Coast Guard (USCG) are the APEC Cooperation Program to support the implementation of the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS Code), which has been continuously implemented since 2006.
Along with that, the rotation of seaport security assessment survey teams in Vietnam and the United States, the organization of training programs such as professional guidance on using SAROPS search and rescue software, and in-depth professional exchanges have brought about high efficiency, enhancing understanding in the field of ensuring maritime security and safety. The two sides agreed to continue to strengthen cooperation in the maritime field.
Working with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Vietnam to the UK Do Minh Hung, Deputy Minister Nguyen Xuan Sang and Ambassador Do Minh Hung discussed the bilateral cooperation situation between Vietnam and the UK in general, in the field of transport and maritime in particular, as well as the participation of member countries within the framework of the 34th IMO Assembly.
Source: https://nhandan.vn/viet-nam-cam-ket-manh-me-bao-ve-moi-truong-thuc-day-hang-hai-phat-trien-ben-vung-post926638.html
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