London, June 9 (IANS) The Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) on Tuesday warned against vessels’ attempts to transit the Strait of Hormuz without credible security guarantees, stressing that no commercial consideration can justify exposing seafarers to extreme danger.
“I am increasingly concerned by reports that vessels continue to attempt to transit the Strait of Hormuz without any credible security guarantees,” IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said in a statement.
Dominguez said seafarers had already been killed, injured and detained in recent incidents, while the security situation in the region remained highly volatile and lacked reliable assurances for safe navigation, Xinhua news agency reported.
“My primary concern is for the safety and lives of the seafarers being placed in these situations,” he said, adding that seafarers should not be exposed to risks that are known, significant and beyond mitigation.
The IMO chief emphasised that ship masters and shipping companies bear ultimate responsibility for voyage planning and risk assessment under international safety and security management frameworks.
“No commercial or operational consideration can justify exposing seafarers to such levels of danger. The protection of their lives must remain the overriding priority at all times,” he said.
He also called on all stakeholders to act responsibly and urged all parties to refrain from actions that could put civilian seafarers at risk.
According to IMO figures, as of June 9, a total of 42 maritime incidents had been confirmed since the outbreak of the conflict in late February, resulting in 11 confirmed seafarer fatalities.
On Saturday, the US military said it shot down two Iranian drones after they allegedly threatened traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.
“Earlier today, US forces in the Middle East shot down two Iranian one-way attack drones that threatened international maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz,” the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on X.
CENTCOM said on Friday that US forces had intercepted multiple ballistic missiles and drones launched by Iran toward the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf neighbours.
–IANS
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