January 20, 2015, Helen Clark, Executive Officer of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) met Koji Sekimizu, the IMO Secretary-General at IMO headquarters in London. The summit stressed the shared commitment to sustainable development and discussed the important role of maritime transport in the construction of economic development in developing countries.

At the meeting, it was mentioned that two very successful joint projects with multi-million dollar have been cooperated by IMO and UNDP, committed to the implementation of ship’s ballast water against invasion threat of alien species. The first project was launched in 2000, the second project is a partnership program of GloBallast, as a follow-up of the first project. The purpose of these projects is to help developing countries and their maritime industry to implement the International Convention on Ballast Water Management and to prevent the harm caused by the transfer of harmful aquatic organisms by ships' ballast water. Both projects obtained the Global Environment Facility (GEF) for financial support.

IMO currently is working with UNDP, for the establishment of a comprehensive global partnership in the energy efficiency of shipping and marine biodiversity protection.