IMO Secretary-General Dominguez calls for end to attacks on merchant ships — Cyprus Mail
In London, United Kingdom, International Maritime Organization Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez called on governments to prevent geopolitical conflicts from becoming a pretext for attacks on merchant ships and their crews. According to Cyprus Mail, since the start of the current conflict in the Middle East on February 28, the IMO has verified 80 attacks on international shipping in and near the Strait of Hormuz.
At least 22 seafarers have been killed in these attacks, while many others have been injured. The IMO incident register, updated on September 15, states that attacks continued in September: several vessels were damaged, and new deaths and disappearances of crew members were also reported.
Call to protect shipping
Dominguez raised the issue during the 12th session of the Sub-Committee on Carriage of Cargoes and Containers, held at IMO headquarters in London on September 14–18. He stressed that the consequences of the violence are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore and that responsibility for attacks in different conflict zones cannot be attributed to only one party.
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According to him, the IMO has no mandate to settle geopolitical disputes, but their impact is increasingly affecting international shipping, supply chains, national economies, and the transportation of energy resources and goods. The organization's secretary-general urged delegates to convey these consequences to governments and relevant UN bodies so that they seek solutions to address the root causes of conflicts.
Risks in the Black and Red Seas
The IMO also reported dozens of deaths resulting from attacks on international shipping in the Black and Azov Seas in recent months, although the exact number of casualties there is difficult to confirm. In the Red Sea, according to the organization, four people were killed in the latest Houthi attack on a merchant vessel on August 11.
The International Chamber of Shipping had previously called for an immediate end to attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and advocated for their safe passage without mandatory fees or controls. The IMO Secretariat said it was ready to assist in developing technical and operational measures to protect vessels and seafarers.
