Despite the still highly risky situation in the Strait of Hormuz, some shipowners are sending their ships through the strait between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula. IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez takes a very critical view of this.
There is no economic justification for putting seafarers’ lives at risk, says the head of the International Maritime Organization in a recent statement.
“I am increasingly concerned by reports that ships continue to attempt to transit the Strait of Hormuz without credible safety guarantees, despite known risks and the fact that seafarers have already been killed or injured and others detained in recent incidents,” said Arsenio Dominguez.
His main concern is the safety and lives of the seafarers who are put in such situations. They should not be exposed to conditions where the risks are known and significant and can clearly no longer be averted or mitigated. The IMO chief described the current situation as still highly unstable – with no reliable safety assurances. “Under these circumstances, there can be no question of safe passage,” he said.
Arsenio Dominguez pointed out “emphatically” that the master and the shipping company bear the ultimate responsibility for route planning and for carrying out thorough and realistic risk assessments – in line with their obligations under established safety and security management frameworks. He described these responsibilities as fundamental and must be exercised with the utmost care and consistency.
No economic or operational consideration, he said, could justify exposing seafarers to such danger. “Protecting their lives must be the top priority at all times. I urge all parties to act with the utmost sense of responsibility and reiterate my appeal to all parties to refrain from any actions that endanger innocent civilian seafarers.”
