International Maritime Organization Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez has warned there is “no legal basis” to impose tolls or fees on vessels transiting international straits, as tensions around the Strait of Hormuz disrupt global shipping.
Speaking at a UN Security Council debate on maritime security, Dominguez said: “The principle of freedom of navigation is not negotiable. Ships must be allowed to trade worldwide unhindered and in accordance with international law.”
He added: “There is no legal basis for any country to introduce payments or impose tolls, fees, or any discriminatory conditions on international straits.”
The IMO chief warned the ongoing geopolitical conflict is already having a “very negative effect on seafarers and shipping, and on the global population and economy.”
“Approximately, 20,000 innocent seafarers and nearly 2,000 vessels remained trapped in the Persian Gulf,” he said, highlighting the scale of disruption.
Dominguez stressed that “any disruption to shipping represents a global interference to energy and food security,” underlining the wider implications for supply chains.
He also cautioned that “any deviation from these well-established and recognized principles would set a negative precedent and severely undermine the integrity and stability of shipping operations worldwide.”
The IMO is now working on an evacuation framework for vessels and crews affected by the crisis, using established maritime corridors in the region.
“Our main concern remains the safety and the well-being of the innocent seafarers trapped in the Gulf due to the conflict,” Dominguez said, adding the organisation stands ready to act once conditions allow.
He called on States to “uphold the principle of freedom of navigation” and “reject an imposition of tolls, fees or discriminatory transit measures,” while also supporting efforts to evacuate seafarers and restore normal shipping operations.
