Seafarers Deserve Fairer Seas

BIMCO supports and advocates for fair treatment of seafarers in all respects and is committed to raising awareness.

Supporting shipping since 1905

Ship at sunset
01

Contracts

We’ve been creating contracts and clauses since 1905. We believe that standardised terms create equality, fairness and support business, and we believe this matters.

BIMCO sign on the desk at the International Maritime Organization in London
02

Regulation

We work to promote transparent and non-discriminatory standards and harmonisation within the shipping industry.

Merete L. Greisen of BIMCO using a headset in a phone call
03

Expert knowledge

Being the practical voice of shipping means we are more than an industry association. We offer members practical tools and expert knowledge to help them commercially navigate to a sustainable future.

A global shipping community in 120 countries

BIMCO's 2,100 members cover 64% of the world's tonnage and consist of local, global, small, and large companies. 

From our offices in Athens, Brussels, Copenhagen, Houston, London, Shanghai and Singapore we aim to help build a resilient industry in a sustainable future whilst protecting world trade. We do this by finding practical solutions for our members to help them manage risk in a changing world.

BIMCO Yearbook: stronger together in 2025

"2025 proved quite the year to take the helm of BIMCO. We celebrated our 120th anniversary, an occasion to reflect on the strength that comes from being part of the world’s largest shipping community," says BIMCO President Paul Pathy

Paul Pathy

Latest news & video

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Stylised satellite view of the Strait of Hormuz with icons representing contractual aspects for ships

BIMCO seeks industry input on contractual gaps from Gulf disruption

View from above of a conference table with people working on laptops

Your input needed on new Virtual Notice of Readiness Clause for Voyage Charter Parties

Shipping Routes Map Puzzle

HNS Convention set to enter into force in November 2027

Upcoming training

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person in orange safety vest typing on a computer
24 Aug

Bills of Lading Masterclass Online

Bills of Lading Masterclass Online is a series of 10 online sessions delivered over 5 days. Each day will run for 120 minutes with a short break in between.

Online
24 Aug 2026 - 28 Aug 2026 5 days
08:00 - 10:00 UTC
BIMCO Training Contact us
Masterclass
EUR 1450 BIMCO members
EUR 1930 Non-members
3 Available seats
laptop on wooden table showing a close-up of barbed wire over a collage of a tanker ship and paper money
02 Sept

Sanctions in Shipping 180 Seminar

For shipping professionals, the challenge lies not only in complying with legal requirements but also in recognising how deeply sanctions can affect every facet of maritime operations.

Online
02 Sept 2026 - 03 Sept 2026 2 days
15:00 - 16:30 CEST
BIMCO Training Contact us
180 Seminar
EUR 240 BIMCO members
EUR 330 Non-members
4 Available seats
Man in suit sitting at a table reading papers and holding a pen up with a row of blurred people watching him in the background
14 Sept

Maritime Law Academy

The academy covers cutting-edge issues of International Maritime Law and its relationship with international trade, shipping and marine insurance.

Trinity Hall Cambridge Trinity Lane, Cambridge CB2 1TJ, United Kingdom
14 Sept 2026 - 18 Sept 2026 5 days
BIMCO Training Contact us
Academy
GBP 5500 BIMCO members
GBP 7150 Non-members
5 Available seats

Shipping explained

Discover the interrelationships between the commercial and regulatory sides of shipping, and see where BIMCO fits into the picture.

Shipping Explained infographic

Latest market analysis

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Map of Black Sea with image of wheatgrain superimposed

Global grain shipments fall 8% as attacks in the Black Sea escalate

SNOW 2026 Wk33 Plain

China’s iron ore mining cools as imports rise 6% and steel production weakens

SNOW 2026 Wk32 Plain

Dirty tanker loadings drop 62% from Russian ports in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov

Contract editing made easy

SmartCon is the secure and best way of working with BIMCO contracts

Laptop screen superimposed on an image of the sea