On the 22nd, IMO Secretary-General Dominguez stated that attacks on and detentions of merchant vessels are unacceptable, and called for the immediate release of all detained ships and innocent seafarers.
Issuing a statement regarding recent attacks on merchant vessels in the waters near the Strait of Hormuz, Dominguez said the situation in the Middle East remains extremely unstable, and he cannot understand why some shipping companies continue to risk seafarers' lives.
Dominguez emphasized again: “De-escalation, taking meaningful action, and restoring freedom of navigation are the only way out.”
Dominguez revealed that a seafarer once trapped in the Persian Gulf described to him the ongoing stress caused by missiles flying overhead, the danger posed to ships by falling debris, the need for rations on supplies, and the difficulty in maintaining communication with family members to inform them of their situation.
He said: “Fortunately, this seafarer was eventually able to leave, but nearly 20,000 seafarers remain trapped there. Seven weeks have passed, and they still don't know when they can go home.”
Since April 13, when the United States imposed a blockade on all vessels entering or leaving Iranian ports, tensions in the Strait of Hormuz have continued to escalate. On the 19th, the US Central Command stated that US forces fired upon an Iranian cargo ship that attempted to break through the blockade and sail to Iran's Abbas Port, causing it to lose propulsion. US Marines subsequently boarded and took control of the ship.
In addition, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard has also detained two vessels attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz without proper authorization.