World News
Members Urge IMO to Establish Safe Maritime Corridor in Gulf
A group of countries has urged the IMO to establish a provisional safe maritime corridor to help ships and seafarers exit high-risk areas in the Gulf amid escalating security concerns.
The countries proposed an emergency framework to support the safe movement of commercial vessels operating in and around the Strait of Hormuz, they said in a joint proposal to the IMO on Tuesday.
The plan is designed to reduce risks to crews and allow ships to continue operating while avoiding areas exposed to potential attacks.
The proposal has been put forward by Bahrain, Japan, Mexico, Panama, Singapore and the UAE.
“Taking into account that a significant number of merchant vessels remain stranded in the area, it is proposed that the Council encourages the establishment, as a provisional and urgent measure, of a framework such as a safe maritime corridor,” the proposal states.
"This measure aims to protect the lives of seafarers and ensure the mobilization and commercial navigation of vessels intending to use this framework by avoiding military attacks and protecting and securing the maritime domain."
It comes as security incidents in the region continue, with multiple casualties reported and around 20,000 seafarers still stranded onboard vessels under heightened stress.
Transits via the Strait of Hormuz have come down by 95% since the war broke out in February 28.
According to Clarksons Research report earlier this week, around 1,100 ships are currently inside the Gulf region.
In a separate submission, a wider group of IMO member states has called for an IMO Council declaration condemning attacks on commercial shipping and stressing the need to keep navigation through the Strait of Hormuz open.
The group also called on Iran to refrain from interfering with navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
Meanwhile, Iran has submitted its own document to the IMO, blaming the deterioration in maritime safety on military actions by the US and Israel.
The IMO is holding a two-day extraordinary meeting till today to address the deteriorating situation in the Middle East.
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