The achievements of 53 students graduating this year from IMO’s International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI) have been celebrated at a ceremony in Malta (30 June). The graduation ceremony was streamed live online for the first time, allowing those unable to attend in person to virtually support family members being awarded their degrees.  

The 40 students graduating this year from the IMLI post-graduate LLM programme and 13 from the Master of Humanities programme in International Maritime Legislation represent 35 countries from around the world.  

IMLI’s Director, Professor Norman A Martínez Gutiérrez, congratulated those graduating on the motivation, determination and dedication they had shown:  

“Their hard work was evident when we saw their growth and transformation into maritime experts who will no doubt become the maritime leaders of tomorrow. Through the IMLI training, the Class of 2023 has demonstrated the capacity to think independently, to intellectually challenge the status quo for the benefit of all,” he said.  

Professor Martínez Gutiérrez thanked the Secretary-General of IMO and Chairman of the IMLI Governing Board, Kitack Lim, who was at the ceremony, for the support he has shown IMLI throughout his tenure as Secretary-General. 

In his address, Mr Lim described how IMLI graduates, past and present, represent “hope for our maritime community and our planet”.  

He urged this year’s graduates to use IMLI’s policy to serve IMO Member States as their own guiding principle in their future roles in the maritime world: 

“Use the knowledge you have received to kindle a fire inside you to serve the international maritime community in general and your countries, in particular. As you turn a new page in the book of your professional achievements, think back to your first day of studies at IMLI, when you pledged to serve the rule of international maritime law.” 

Read the Secretary-General's full address here.  

During the graduation ceremony, James Harrison (UK), Vice Chairman of the IMLI Governing Board and Chair of the Financial and Human Resources Committee (FINCOM), and Professor Marko Pavliha (Slovenia), were awarded honorary doctorates in International Maritime Law in recognition of their work for more than 20 years supporting IMLI, its graduates and the international maritime community.