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World Shipping Council and the International Maritime Organization underscored the principle of freedom of navigation at the Strait of Hormuz as they cheered the peace deal between the United States and Iran
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In separate statements, both organizations also stressed that the immediate priority is to move out seafarers and ships that have been stranded in the area
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WSC president and CEO Joe Kramek said international shipping lines “are closely monitoring developments and will make operational decisions in a complex environment, based on the best available information and risk assessments”
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IMO secretary-general Arsenio Dominguez said close coordination among stakeholders is ongoing for the evacuation of seafarers but implementation “will require time to ensure that all necessary safety and security guarantees are in place”
The World Shipping Council (WSC) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) underscored the principle of freedom of navigation at the Strait of Hormuz as they cheered the peace deal between the United States and Iran.
In separate statements this week, both organizations also stressed that the immediate priority is to move out seafarers and ships that have been stranded in the area since the US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28.
“The immediate priority is safe passage for the seafarers and ships still stranded in the area. That will require coordination between states, the IMO and industry, backed by the necessary safety and security guarantees. Coordinated risk assessments, mine mitigation operations, and vessel traffic operations should be prioritized as part of these efforts,” said WSC president and CEO Joe Kramek in a statement on June 18.
“This conflict has again shown why the fundamental principle of freedom of navigation must be respected and protected. Ships must be able to pass through the Strait of Hormuz safely, securely and without toll,” he noted.
For now, Kramek said members of the association of international shipping lines are “are closely monitoring developments and will make operational decisions in a complex environment, based on the best available information and risk assessments.”
IMO secretary-general Arsenio Dominguez, meanwhile, said in a June 15 statement that the initial peace deal, “signals a crucial return to peace, dialogue, multilateralism and diplomacy, and in particular, an important step toward restoring safety in this vital maritime corridor for seafarers and ships, as well as safeguarding the fundamental principle of freedom of navigation.”
At the same time, the head of the United Nations agency expressed “deepest sympathies for all victims of the conflict, paying particular tribute to the innocent seafarers affected and to their families.”
IMO has verified at least 46 attacks against international shipping in and around the Strait of Hormuz since February 28.
READ: Strait of Hormuz reopening with US-Iran peace deal but shipping lines stay cautious
Dominguez said the IMO is working closely with member states and partners to implement the evacuation plan for stranded vessels and crew safely and effectively.
He said the implementation “will require time to ensure that all necessary safety and security guarantees are in place.”
The US-Iran peace deal – first announced on June 14, signed on June 18 and was set for a formal ceremony in Switzerland on the 19th – includes the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway where about a fifth of the world’s oil pass through.
Vessel movement has so far been limited as carriers await certainty over the threat of mines, non-aggression from the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and the US blockade, and guarantee of toll-free passage.
