Palau becomes newest Member State of UN maritime agency

Palau has become the latest country to join the United Nations International Maritime Organization (IMO), the agency responsible for promoting safe and secure shipping and the prevention of marine pollution from ships.

The small Pacific island nation deposited an instrument of acceptance of the Convention of the IMO last week, making it the 170th Member State of the London-based agency.

Established in 1948, and currently headed by Secretary-General Efthimios E. Mitropoulos, IMO now has 170 Member States and three Associate Members.