Eight major shipping organisations have written to both the UN and IMO secretary generals, António Guterres and Arsenio Dominguez, in a bid to maintain freedom of navigation at sea.
Credit: IMO
The shipping industry has banded together over fears that the imposition of a toll on the Strait of Hormuz would undermine the legal framework, the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), that underpins shipping and trade globally.
The letter to the UN and IMO Secretary Generals begins with a call to protect seafarers trapped in the Arabian Gulf as well as vessels attempting to transit the Straits of Hormuz, the letter demanded that seafarer safety must be “non-negotiable”.
“So too must be freedom of navigation. The ability of merchant ships to navigate international waterways safely, predictably and without unnecessary impediment is fundamental to resilient supply chains, economic stability and energy security,” added the signatories.
Establishing a toll for transiting the Strait of Hormuz would be “a significant departure from established international practice,” and such a move would create a precedent which could undermine UNCLOS and the recognised framework that has governed maritime history for decades.
“Once such a precedent is established, it becomes increasingly difficult to resist similar measures elsewhere, creating uncertainty for international shipping and global commerce,” the letter continued.
Such an effect would have an effect that reaches far beyond the maritime sector, with additional costs imposed on maritime, passed on through supply chains and ultimately to the consumer, “Contributing to higher energy prices, higher inflation, and higher economic uncertainty.”
The eight maritime organisations, the Asian Shipowners Association, Bimco, Cruise Lines International, European Shipowners, the International Chamber of Shipping, Intertanko, Intercargo and the World Shipping Council said they are ready to work with the IMO and the broader UN to ensure the principle of freedom of navigation is preserved.
