The Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Arsenio Domínguez, warned on Thursday that the Strait of Hormuz remains unsafe and called on shipowners, operators, and shipping companies to avoid transiting the waterway until security can be guaranteed.
In an interview with the Efe news agency, Domínguez said nearly 6,000 crew members have been stranded in the conflict zone for close to six months with no means of evacuation, while approximately 70 vessels have been attacked and 20 seafarers have died since the outbreak of hostilities involving the United States, Israel, and Iran.
“My message to shipowners and operators, including shipping companies, is that, first and foremost, they carry out risk assessments, but above all, they avoid transiting the Strait of Hormuz,” he warned.
The IMO chief noted that traffic recorded in recent days has been “very limited”, at levels comparable to those seen at the start of the conflict, and stressed that the priority must be the protection of seafarers, not the maintenance of commercial flows.
The disruption, however, carries significant global consequences. According to Domínguez, approximately 20% of the world’s crude oil, 19% of liquefied natural gas, and 13% of the chemicals and fertilisers used by other economies pass through the Strait of Hormuz. He warned that a prolonged crisis will not only affect transport and energy prices but could also have knock-on effects on food production.
“The longer this conflict drags on… the more it will affect crew members and the world’s population, with economic repercussions that will also impact food security in the years ahead,” he said.
The conflict launched by the United States and Israel against Iran on 28 February was expected to last a few weeks, according to US President Donald Trump, but is now approaching the six-month mark with no end in sight. Domínguez noted that some shipping rates reached two to three times their normal levels, while insurance premiums have also risen sharply. Higher fuel costs have been accompanied by shortages in some parts of the world.
The International Maritime Organization maintains daily contact with the countries directly involved and is working to facilitate assistance to stranded crew members, as well as to ensure that companies and shipowners provide adequate supplies, Domínguez said.
The IMO Secretary-General also raised concerns about the proliferation of conflicts along other trade routes, including the Red Sea, which is adding further pressure on the global economy. Merchant vessels and their crews, he emphasised, “are neither prepared nor have any intention” of taking part in armed confrontations.
Source: Diário Económico
Original article: https://www.diarioeconomico.co.mz/?p=534947
