This article by BIMCO Secretary General and CEO David Loosley was originally sent to the CEOs of all BIMCO member companies and organisations on 29 July 2026.
In Montreal in June, the BIMCO Board of Directors approved a new high-level strategy for BIMCO.
The approval was an important milestone, but it was not the beginning of the journey. The strategy has been shaped over many months through conversations with members and customers, guidance from our Board and input from colleagues across the Secretariat. It is the product of listening, testing ideas and challenging ourselves about where BIMCO can deliver the greatest value in the years ahead.
Developing a strategy for an organisation like BIMCO is not about predicting the future. Shipping continues to face geopolitical tensions, regulatory uncertainty, technological disruption and changing commercial realities. We cannot know exactly what the future will bring, nor should we pretend that we can. Instead, our focus has been on understanding the trends shaping our industry and ensuring BIMCO is ready to help members navigate whatever comes next.
That process began by listening. We gathered insight from our President's Forum, our wider membership survey and discussions with members and customers around the world. We examined the forces shaping shipping, tested different scenarios and challenged our assumptions about the future. Most importantly, we kept asking a simple question: where can BIMCO make the biggest difference for members and customers in the years ahead?
The result is Strategy 2026, a strategy rooted in member needs, informed by research and analysis, and shaped by practical industry experience. It is designed to ensure BIMCO remains relevant, effective and focused on the areas where we can have the greatest impact.
At its heart, the strategy reflects a fundamental truth: BIMCO's role remains as important today as it has ever been. For more than a century, BIMCO has been a trusted source of information, practical guidance and industry leadership. Through periods of conflict, economic uncertainty, regulatory change and technological transformation, members have turned to BIMCO for balanced perspectives, expert support and practical solutions.
Our current reality is a world where information is abundant, but trust can be harder to find, and our members need organisations they can rely on. They need expertise that is credible, independent and grounded in real-world experience. They need a voice that can explain difficult issues clearly and represent the interests of shipping with authority and integrity. That is why the theme of trusted leadership sits at the heart of our Strategy 2026.
The strategy also reinforces the areas that have always defined BIMCO's value: contracts, regulation and expert knowledge. These remain the foundation of how we support members around the world.
At the same time, Strategy 2026 places greater emphasis on organisational excellence. What we deliver matters. But how we deliver it matters too. By strengthening our capabilities, improving the way we use data and technology, and embracing the opportunities created by AI, we will continue to serve members efficiently and effectively in a rapidly changing environment.
Ultimately, Strategy 2026 is about ensuring BIMCO remains the organisation our members need it to be. It builds on our strengths, recognises where we must continue to improve and provides a clear direction for the years ahead. Shipping will continue to evolve, as it always has. Our role is to evolve with it while remaining focused on the things that matter most: supporting our members, creating practical value and helping the industry navigate change with confidence.
That is what Strategy 2026 is designed to achieve. And I look forward to delivering it together.