Partnership with IMO

The UPU maintains a growing partnership with the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the United Nations specialized agency responsible for the regulation of shipping. The two organizations are working closely to support maritime transport within the international postal supply chain. Recent collaborations include a joint study on arrangements in response to the impact of Import Control System 2 (ICS2) Release 3 on maritime mail transport, as well as information sharing on the digitalization of postal flows and the UPU dataset on the delivery bill for potential integration into IMO’s data harmonization processes. It has been proposed that the two organizations initiate discussions to sign a memorandum of understanding to formalize and deepen their cooperation.

• Joint work on the maritime implications of ICS2 Release 3 and support for maritime mail transport preparedness
• Cooperation on digitalization and data harmonization, including the use of UPU datasets for enhanced maritime logistics coordination
• Participation in high-level exchanges in 2024 with the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the International Road Transport Union (IRU) to ensure sustainable maritime and road transport for ICS2 territories
• Co-organization of a COP29 side event in Baku, Azerbaijan, with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), UNECE and the World Bank, promoting cross-sectoral collaboration for climate action throughout the postal transport chain
• Ongoing collaboration on the UPU’s International Letter-Writing Competition, for which Dr Jose Matheickal, Director of the Technical Cooperation and Implementation Division at IMO, is serving as a member of the international jury

2025 UPU International Letter-Writing Competition

Episode 32 of Voice Mail: Why Ocean science needs a truly global effort