The International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council has issued a strong condemnation of recent attacks on merchant vessels and the reported closure of the Strait of Hormuz trade corridor.
In his closing remarks, IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said: “Let it be the responsibility of each and every one of us to demonstrate that inaction is not an option, that words alone are not sufficient. Together, we can drive the change required to protect the wellbeing of those who have no voice and safeguard the principle of freedom of navigation.”
The Council urged an immediate halt to attacks affecting civilian seafarers and called on Member States to ensure vessels can access essential supplies, including water, food, and fuel.
It also encouraged the facilitation of crew changes in line with international standards, alongside maintaining communications and adequate onboard provisions.
From an operational perspective, the Council emphasised the need to account for seafarer fatigue, the master’s overriding authority, and heightened navigational risks linked to GNSS jamming and spoofing when transiting the region.
READ: IMO and industry stress vigilance after vessel attacks
As an urgent measure, the Council proposed the establishment of a provisional safe maritime framework to support the evacuation of merchant vessels currently confined within the Gulf region.
The initiative is intended to safeguard seafarers while maintaining continuity in commercial shipping and reducing exposure to military escalation.
Secretary-General Dominguez has been tasked with initiating immediate engagement with relevant stakeholders to advance the framework.
“I am ready to start working immediately in negotiations to establish a humanitarian framework to evacuate all vessels and seafarers trapped. However, for this to materialise, I will need the understanding, commitment and, above all, the concrete actions from all relevant countries and stakeholders,” he said.
For more information:
International Maritime Organization – https://www.imo.org/
