IMO

American  

Also imo, or IMHO

abbreviation

1. in my (honest/humble) opinion.

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IMO ¹ British  

abbreviation

1. text messaging in my opinion

2. International Maritime Organization

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Imo ² British  

/ ˈiːməʊ /

noun

1. a state of SE Nigeria. Capital: Owerri. Pop:3 934 899 (2006). Area: 5100 sq km (1969 sq miles)

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Etymology

Origin of IMO

First recorded in 1980–85; from its use in digital communications

Example Sentences

The industry has spent billions in recent years building green-friendly vessels, but the IMO plan will hurt their bottom line.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 20, 2026

Come October, other maritime industries may face the same dilemma if there is no final decision on the IMO plan.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 20, 2026

The IMO has information that some ships have started to sail but that it still needed to verify this as "some ships turn off their identification systems in order not to be targeted", he said.

From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026

At the IMO, the Cook Islands pressed Iran to confirm reported evidence that "there is a nascent ships registration system being set up for approved vessels to make safe passage through the Strait" of Hormuz.

From Barron's • Mar. 19, 2026

The IMO is a proponent of a technology to apply encrypted "digital signatures" to electronic bills of lading.

From Crime and Corruption by Vaknin, Samuel