Mr Ismael Cobos Delgado

Deputy Director (Maritime Safety Division)
International Maritime Organisation

Ismael Cobos holds a Phd (cum laude distinction); a MEng in Marine Technology and Marine Engineering; a BEng in Ship Science/Naval Architecture and a Master in Shipping Business, all from the Catalonia Polytechnic University.

He began his professional career as Engineer Officer in 1999 in crude oil tankers and reefer ships before joining the shipping industry ashore. In the Spanish Maritime Administration from 2004, he worked as Maritime Safety Inspector/Supervisor.

In June 2012, he was appointed Counsellor for Transport of the Embassy of Spain in London and representative of Spain to IMO, leading the Spanish delegation in IMO, IOPC Funds and IMSO meetings.

In April 2016, he joined the IMO Secretariat as Technical Officer responsible for the goal-based standards (GBS) verification audit scheme and secretary of the Sub-Committee on Ships Systems and Equipment (SSE). He was appointed Head, Maritime Training and Human Element (IMO) in January 2018, being also secretary of the Sub-Committee on Human Element, Training and Watchkeeping (HTW).

In July 2022, he was appointed Deputy Director in the Maritime Safety Division, a position that he currently holds, being responsible for the Subdivision for Operational Safety and Human Element.