International Maritime Organization: Escorting Ships Is Not a Long-Term Solution to the Hormuz Strait Crisis

The Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization Dominguez emphasized after the special meeting of the Council that naval escort cannot fully guarantee the safety of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, and ships are still at risk of attack. This is not a long-term plan to eliminate seafarers' pressure and risks. In response to the United States calling on its allies to participate in the escort and the refusal of many European countries to intervene militarily, the Council recommended the urgent establishment of a framework such as a maritime safety corridor to evacuate merchant ships in high-risk areas through peaceful and voluntary means. The article disclosed that since the U. S.-Israeli military operations, there have been attacks on merchant ships in the region, resulting in the death of at least 7 seafarers and serious injuries. At present, about 20000 seafarers are still trapped in the Persian Gulf. The International Maritime Organization believes that only when the conflict ends can shipping avoid falling victim to collateral damage.