Bangladeshi marine engineer appointed deputy director at UN maritime body in London

Ansar Ahmed Ullah
Contributing Editor,Shottobani

London: Marine chief engineer Dr A K M Masud Karim has been appointed Deputy Director in the Maritime Safety Division at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), the United Nations’ specialised agency responsible for global shipping regulation and maritime safety, headquartered in London.

In his new role, Dr Karim will oversee key areas including cargo safety, maritime regulatory frameworks and the work of three major IMO sub-committees responsible for developing and maintaining international maritime safety standards. The appointment places him in a senior position within the London-based UN body at a time when global shipping faces increasing regulatory and safety challenges.

Originally from Chapai Nawabganj in Bangladesh, Dr Karim began his maritime career after graduating from the Bangladesh Marine Academy in 1986. He joined Bangladesh Shipping Corporation as an engine cadet before obtaining his Class One Marine Engineer certification from South Tyneside College in the United Kingdom. Alongside his professional training, he later completed an MBA at the Open University.

Dr Karim built extensive experience across the international shipping sector, working with several maritime companies and gaining expertise in ship inspection, classification and maritime safety systems. In 2005, he joined Germanischer Lloyd as a surveyor and in 2011 became managing director of Germanischer Lloyd Bangladesh Limited, succeeding maritime leader C. F. Zaman.

His career has also included work on international shipbuilding projects in China and India. More recently, he served as a marine surveyor and later Head of Maritime Security and Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) compliance within the UK’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency.