Arsenio Dominguez is secretary-general of the IMO. Image Credit: IMO

The head of the IMO has urged all parties to respect freedom of navigation after recent attacks on commercial vessels in and around the Strait of Hormuz. 

The attacks have resulted in at least seven fatalities and several injured seafarers, IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said at the opening of the 12th session of the IMO Sub-Committee on Ship Systems and Equipment on Monday.

“As I have said on numerous occasions, any attack on innocent seafarers or civilian shipping is unacceptable,” he said.

“All parties without exception, and I repeat, without exception, must respect the freedom of navigation, which is a fundamental principle of international maritime law.”

Dominguez said seafarers operating in the region continue to perform their duties under challenging conditions as tensions escalate, and urged shipping companies to exercise maximum caution when operating in the affected waters.

He added that the IMO has made available a dedicated webpage providing verified updates to help companies and administrations monitor the evolving situation.

"I continue to monitor the situation closely, and I reiterate my call for all shipping companies to exercise maximum caution when operating in the affected region," he said.

Iran has been targeting commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz as part of its retaliation following US and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets. Iran has claimed that Strait of Hormuz is closed for commercial shipping and has threatened to attack ships passing the waterways, which handles roughly 20% of global oil trade.