IMO Chief Urges Action as 6,000 Seafarers Remain Trapped

International Maritime Organization Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez called for practical solutions and renewed political cooperation to restore freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. The appeal marks six months since a Middle East conflict began on February 28, leaving approximately 6,000 seafarers aboard 400 vessels unable to safely depart the Persian Gulf.

The IMO has verified at least 70 attacks on international shipping since the start of the conflict, resulting in 19 deaths. Dominguez warned that the unresolved situation disrupts global supply chains for fuel and fertilizers and increases energy price volatility, as the corridor handles nearly a quarter of global seaborne oil trade and one-fifth of liquefied natural gas trade.

In response to the crisis, the IMO Council adopted a resolution in July reaffirming the right of transit passage through international straits. Dominguez urged member states and the shipping industry to collaborate with the IMO and the United Nations to ensure a coordinated return to unhindered navigation.