Mr. Julian Abril Garcia is the Head of the Facilitation Section of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). He joined the IMO in August 2011, and he is the secretariat of the Committee of Facilitation of the IMO. Under his current responsibilities, he has participated in different regional and national technical cooperation activities to promote the ratification of the Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic, as well as to improve its effective implementation, taking due regard the need of a proper balance between measures to enhance maritime security and measures to facilitate maritime international traffic. Mr. Garcia is part of the IMO team working to minimize the impact of COVID-19 to maritime transport, in close contact with UN agencies and maritime industry.

Prior to joining IMO in 2011, he had been sailing as Chief Officer and Officer in charge of navigational watch in merchant ships before he joined the Spanish Maritime Administration in 1992. Mr. Garcia has 30 years of experience in maritime administration on subjects related to safety, security, human factor, and facilitation, both on national and international basis.

Mr. Julian Abril Garcia holds a Master’s degree in Merchant Marine from the Cadiz University, Spain.