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International Maritime Organization secretary-general Arsenio Dominguez raised alarm over attacks on merchant vessels in the Strait of Hormuz
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He urged shipping companies to exercise maximum caution and avoid transiting the strait where possible
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At least one fatality and several seafarers were injured in reported incidents
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IMO called for the protection of civilian shipping and respect for freedom of navigation
The secretary-general of the International Maritime Organization, Arsenio Dominguez, voiced deep concern over escalating security incidents in the Strait of Hormuz, following reports of attacks on merchant vessels that left at least one seafarer dead and several others injured.
“I am deeply concerned by reports of at least one fatality and several seafarers injured in attacks on merchant vessels. No attack on innocent seafarers or civilian shipping is ever justified. These crews are simply doing their jobs and must be protected from the effects of wider geopolitical tensions,” Dominguez said in a statement.
“Freedom of navigation is a fundamental principle of international maritime law, and it must be respected by all Parties, with no exception,” he added.
Dominguez said he is closely monitoring developments and urged shipping companies to exercise maximum caution, advising vessels to avoid transiting the affected region where possible until conditions improve.
“I also call on all stakeholders to remain vigilant against disinformation and to rely only on verified, authoritative sources when making navigational decisions,” he said.
READ: Major shipping lines suspend transits to/from Middle East
“My thoughts are with the injured seafarers and their families. Their safety and welfare are our highest priority, and the IMO will continue working closely with Member States and partners to support safe navigation and to uphold the principle that civilian mariners must never be harmed,” the IMO head said.
The strait, which links major Gulf producers including Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, and the United Arab Emirates to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, accounts for roughly a quarter of the world’s seaborne oil trade.
Any sustained disruption could trigger a spike in global oil prices and destabilize energy markets.
Following reported US-Israel strikes on Iran, the Philippine Department of Energy on March 2 warned that oil prices are expected to rise after Iran’s Revolutionary Guards reportedly forbade marine transport in the strait.
Industry analysts said prolonged instability in the narrow corridor, a key transit route for crude and liquefied natural gas shipments to China, Europe, the United States, and other major consumers, would have far-reaching economic implications.—Michael Barcas
