The Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Arsenio Dominguez, has called on states to refrain from actions that endanger the safety of merchant vessels and the lives of seafarers.
Sea-news.az reports citing “Seanews.az” that Dominguez drew attention to the issue during his speech at the session of the IMO Sub-Committee on Carriage of Cargoes and Containers.
The Secretary-General stated that geopolitical tensions are having a serious impact on the shipping industry. According to him, since the conflict in the Middle East began on February 28, the IMO has confirmed 80 attacks against international shipping in and around the Strait of Hormuz. As a result of these attacks, at least 22 seafarers have been killed, and a large number of seafarers have been injured.
The Secretary-General noted that in recent months, attacks against international shipping in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov have also reportedly resulted in the deaths of dozens of people. Attacks in the Red Sea have resumed, and the latest attack by the Houthis on a merchant vessel on August 11 has confirmed the deaths of 4 seafarers.
Dominguez emphasized that these attacks cannot be attributed solely to the actions of a single party. He stated that while addressing the root causes of conflicts does not fall within the IMO’s mandate, their impact on international trade and shipping operations is steadily increasing.
The IMO Secretary-General called on member states to raise these issues before their respective governments and relevant UN bodies.
