Who is IMO? And what is their role?

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is the United Nations specialized agency with responsibility for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine and atmospheric pollution by ships.

As a specialized agency of the United Nations, IMO is the global standard-setting authority for the safety, security and environmental performance of international shipping. Its main role is to create a regulatory framework for the shipping industry that is fair and effective, universally adopted and universally implemented.

In terms of dangerous goods safety, the IMO coordinates regulatory changes which come from the UN Modal Regulations through their Committee of Experts of the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods and pass them along to the modal regulatory bodies for inclusion by Air (ICAO) and Ocean (IMO).