IMO Secretary-General Mr. Arsenio Dominguez (Photo source IMO)
Member States of the International Maritime Organization are gathering in London, United Kingdom from 18 to 18 March, 2026 to discuss the impact on shipping and seafarers in the Arabian Sea, the Sea of Oman and the Gulf region, particularly in and around the Strait of Hormuz. IMO Secretary-General Mr. Arsenio Dominguez delivered the following opening remarks:
At the outset, I must first express my grave concern and deep sadness regarding the recent attacks on merchant ships in the region of the Strait of Hormuz, as a result of which at least seven seafarers have reportedly lost their lives, and several others have been severely injured.
My thoughts are with the families and loved ones of those affected, as well as with the global maritime community, which mourns these tragic losses.
At present, around 20,000 seafarers remain stranded inside the Persian Gulf, on board vessels, facing high risk and considerable mental strain. My thoughts are with these seafarers. Despite these challenges, they continue to perform their duties with professionalism and resilience.
I continue to monitor the situation closely, and I reiterate my call for all shipping companies to exercise the utmost caution when operating in the affected region, and to the extent possible, to avoid passing through it.
I will never get tired of repeating myself when I say that any attack on innocent seafarers or civilian shipping is totally unacceptable. They must not become victims of broader geopolitical tensions.
Therefore I urge all Parties, all of you, to work towards de-escalation of the conflict and to allow these crew members to leave the Gulf safely on board their ships.
During this Council meeting, you will have the opportunity to engage in dialogue and focus on solutions acceptable to all parties in order to protect all innocent seafarers, as well as navigational safety and the marine environment. I urge you to focus on substantive deliberations and practical measures related to the proposals before you. Time is short and we all bear a serious responsibility towards the affected seafarers.
As I have emphasized publicly, I urge all stakeholders to remain vigilant against disinformation and to rely when making operational decisions only on verified, authoritative sources when making operational decisions. To support this effort, the Organization has made available a dedicated webpage providing regularly updated and verified information on the evolving situation.
I stand in solidarity with the many crews who continue to keep global shipping moving under extraordinarily difficult circumstances.
This situation is unacceptable and unsustainable. Shipping has demonstrated time and time again how resilient it is, but geopolitics are testing the sector to the limit.
And every time shipping is used as collateral damage in these conflicts, the whole world is negatively affected, from the global economy to food security, underlying the importance of freedom of navigation, seafarers and the sector as a whole.
I am confident that, under the able leadership of your Chair, Mr. Victor Jimenez Fernandez of Spain, and your Vice-Chair, Mrs. Amane Fethallah of Morocco, the Council will achieve its goals.
You can also continue to count on the full commitment and support of the Secretariat throughout your work.
