Office de la Marine Marchande et des Ports 
The mandatory audit of Tunisia’s maritime administration and port authority, conducted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), concluded last week. The audit took place from 9 to 16 June 2025, under the supervision of the Minister of Transport and the Secretary of State for Maritime Affairs, and in the presence of representatives from the Office of Merchant Marine and Ports (OMMP), the Ministry of Transport, the Border Guard Directorate, the Tunisian Customs, the Navy, the Ministry of the Environment, the National Meteorological Institute, and the National Frequency Agency.
The audit resulted in Tunisia being ranked among the countries most compliant with IMO international instruments, particularly in the areas of maritime safety, marine environmental protection, and seafarer certification.
In her closing remarks, Ms. Khawla Belkhodher, OMMP’CEO, expressed her gratitude to the IMO for the support and technical guidance provided to the OMMP teams throughout the preparation phase. She emphasized the valuable assistance of the IMO experts, which contributed significantly to the success of the audit.
She also stated that the evaluation phase will be followed by the development of a national strategy to strengthen maritime governance, highlighting the commitment of the OMMP, under the supervision of the Ministry of Transport, to coordinate efforts, mobilize internal structures, provide the necessary data, and ensure optimal conditions for the audit process.
Ms. Belkhodher further noted that the audit was an opportunity to enhance inter-agency coordination in the maritime transport sector, improve operational methods, and follow up on the audit’s recommendations.
It is worth noting that the IMO Mandatory Audit Scheme covers 176 Member States, and that Tunisia has been a member of the IMO since 1963, currently a party to 31 international maritime conventions.
