Ghana has backed major reforms to the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Global Maritime Audit Scheme, supporting a legally binding framework that will require all 175 member states to undergo mandatory maritime safety audits every seven years, a measure expected to strengthen global trade, improve regulatory compliance and create a more level competitive environment for international shipping.
The reforms, endorsed during the ongoing IMO Council session in London, replace the previous voluntary audit arrangement with a compulsory system designed to ensure countries uniformly implement international maritime conventions. The strengthened framework is expected to improve confidence in global shipping by reducing regulatory inconsistencies that can distort competition and increase operational risks.
Speaking at the meeting, Ghana’s Alternate Permanent Representative to the IMO, Dr Evans Ago Tetteh, described the completion of the first audit cycle as having “drastically strengthened” maritime governance among member states while improving global safety compliance.
He also welcomed proposals to modernise the audit process through “continuous digital monitoring,” describing the platform as a “game-changer” that would enable countries to identify compliance gaps early and implement corrective measures before their next scheduled audit.
The International Member State Audit Scheme (IMSAS), introduced in 2016, was established to assess how effectively countries implement international maritime obligations. Under the revised framework, every member state, including Ghana, will now be subject to a mandatory institutional audit once every seven years.
The new system is intended to promote consistency across the global maritime industry by ensuring countries cannot gain commercial advantages through weaker enforcement of international shipping regulations. The audits are expected to strengthen safety oversight, environmental protection and regulatory certainty, all of which are critical to supporting international trade and investment.
Assessments will continue to be conducted using the IMO’s Instruments Implementation Code, which provides a common benchmark for measuring each country’s performance. The evaluation covers national maritime legislation and institutional arrangements, oversight of vessels flying a country’s flag, inspections of foreign ships entering domestic ports, and the effectiveness of coastal safety services such as search and rescue, navigational aids and hydrographic operations.
Ghana also endorsed a risk-based audit model that would enable the IMO to focus greater attention on countries with weaker compliance records, allowing resources to be directed where improvements are most needed.
Tetteh urged member states to strengthen institutional capacity by expanding opportunities for women and young professionals within the international pool of maritime auditors. He stressed that effective implementation requires “sustained national commitment, resilient institutions,” and a determination to translate audit recommendations into lasting improvements across national maritime administrations.
