The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has called an extraordinary session of its Council to address escalating threats to shipping and seafarers in the Middle East.
The meeting, scheduled for 18 and 19 March at the IMO headquarters in London and chaired by Spain’s Victor Jiménez, was requested by several member states amid growing concern over the deteriorating security situation in and around the Strait of Hormuz.
The session will focus on the impact of recent developments on maritime traffic in the Arabian Sea, the Sea of Oman and the wider Gulf region. Although the Strait of Hormuz remains legally open, Iran has effectively restricted international shipping through a series of attacks on vessels operating in and around the strategic waterway.
Tensions intensified on 11 March when the Thai-flagged bulk carrier Mayuree Naree was attacked while attempting to transit the Strait. Three crew members remain missing, while the remaining 20 seafarers evacuated the vessel and were rescued by the Royal Omani Navy.
IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez has been engaging both industry bodies and member states in a series of briefings this week to share updates and assess the implications for global shipping.
Condemning the attacks, Dominguez reiterated the organisation’s position on maritime safety and international law.
“Any attack on innocent seafarers or civilian shipping is unacceptable,” he said recently at the opening of an IMO sub-committee meeting. “All parties, without exception, must respect the freedom of navigation, which is a fundamental principle of international maritime law.”