Arsenio Dominguez, Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), urged member countries to refrain from actions that endanger the lives of commercial ships and sailors. In a meeting of the IMO Sub-Committee on Carriage of Cargoes and Containers, he warned about the severe impacts of geopolitical tensions on the maritime transport industry.
Impacts of Geopolitical Tensions
Secretary-General Dominguez stated: "We are reaching a point where these conflicts become an excuse to attack commercial ships and innocent sailors. Do not use these conflicts to attack innocent sailors." Since the onset of the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East on February 28, the IMO has confirmed that 80 attacks on international shipping have occurred around the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in the deaths of at least 22 sailors and injuring many others.
Risks in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov
In the Black Sea and Sea of Azov, dozens of casualties from attacks on international shipping have been reported in recent months, although exact numbers are not verifiable. Attacks in the Red Sea have also resumed, with four confirmed deaths in the latest Houthi attack on a commercial ship on August 11.
Secretary-General Dominguez emphasized that these attacks are not the result of a single actor: "In the Strait of Hormuz, it is not just one country attacking commercial ships. In the Black Sea and Sea of Azov, it is also not just one country attacking these ships." He stressed that addressing the root causes of these geopolitical conflicts is beyond the IMO's mandate, but their impacts on global maritime trade and shipping operations are increasingly evident.
He urged representatives to raise these impacts with their governments and in appropriate international forums. When shipping operations are disrupted, the consequences extend beyond the maritime sector, affecting economies, supply chains, and the daily lives of people.
The Secretary-General also added: "I ask you to share these impacts with the relevant authorities in your countries so that these issues can be addressed at the United Nations. It is your duty and that of your capitals and UN-related agencies to investigate these root causes and find solutions."
The IMO Secretariat is ready to assist in practical solutions for the shipping industry that member countries can advance at technical and operational levels. The Sub-Committee on Carriage of Cargoes and Containers has met from September 14 to 18 in London to discuss safety issues related to the maritime transport of dangerous goods, bulk cargoes, and containers.
