Liberia, the world’s second-largest ship register, has not been re-elected to the IMO Council, which plays a key role in supervising the shipping regulator’s work programme.

The flag state had been a “category C” council member, putting it in a grouping comprised of 20 member states with a special interest in maritime transport or navigation.

But its failure to retain its place means that, along with the Marshall Islands, the second and third-largest ship registers are not represented in any of the IMO Council’s membership categories.