The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has warned its members to cease dangerous actions against commercial ships and sailors. The Secretary-General of the organization, Arsenio Dominguez, warned during a meeting of the Sub-Committee on Carriage of Cargoes and Containers about the serious impacts of geopolitical tensions on the shipping industry.
Increase in Attacks on Commercial Ships
Arsenio Dominguez stated that the current situation has reached a point where these tensions have become an excuse to attack innocent commercial ships and sailors. Since the onset of conflicts in the Middle East on February 28, the International Maritime Organization has confirmed 80 attacks on international shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in the deaths of at least 22 sailors and many others injured.
Reports of Casualties in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov
In the Black Sea and Sea of Azov, there have been numerous reports in recent months of casualties resulting from attacks on international shipping. Additionally, attacks in the Red Sea have resumed, with the latest attack by the Houthis on a commercial ship on August 11 resulting in four deaths.
Dominguez emphasized that these attacks cannot be attributed to a specific actor, as several entities are attacking commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, the Black Sea, and the Sea of Azov. He noted that addressing the root causes of these geopolitical conflicts goes beyond the duties of the International Maritime Organization, but their impacts on global maritime trade and shipping operations are increasingly evident.
He urged representatives to raise these impacts with their governments and in appropriate international forums. Disruption of shipping operations has consequences beyond the maritime sector, affecting economies, supply chains, and daily lives.
He called on members to share these impacts with relevant authorities in their capitals so that the United Nations can address the root causes of these issues and find solutions. The IMO Secretariat is ready to assist in providing practical solutions for the shipping industry that members can implement at technical and operational levels.
The Sub-Committee on Carriage of Cargoes and Containers will meet from September 14 to 18 in London to discuss safety issues related to the transport of dangerous goods, bulk cargoes, and containers by sea.
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