The International Maritime Organization (IMO; abbreviated: IMO) is a specialized organization responsible for the safety of maritime navigation and the prevention of marine pollution from ships, founded on January 6, 1959, and originally known as the The International Maritime Organization (IMO) was established on January 6, 1959, initially called the "Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative Organization" and headquartered in London; in May 1982, it was renamed to its present name; as of September 2012, it has 170 full members and 3 associate members. The purpose of the IMO is to promote technical cooperation among countries in shipping; to encourage countries to adopt uniform standards in promoting maritime safety and improving the efficiency of ship navigation; to prevent and control marine pollution from ships; and to address related legal issues.