The International Maritime Organization (IMO) will hold an emergency meeting of its Council next week to discuss growing risks to ships and seafarers operating in waters near the Strait of Hormuz.
The 36th Extraordinary Session of the IMO Council will take place on March 18–19, 2026, at the organisation’s headquarters in London and will be chaired by Victor Jiménez of Spain.
The meeting will focus on the impact of the current security situation in the Arabian Sea, the Sea of Oman and the wider Gulf region, particularly in and around the Strait of Hormuz — one of the world’s most important shipping chokepoints.
The session was convened following requests from several IMO Council members amid heightened concerns about maritime safety and trade disruption in the region.
Ahead of the meeting, IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez held briefings with maritime industry organisations on March 11 and with IMO member states on March 12 to discuss recent developments and their potential implications for shipping.
The IMO Council serves as the organisation’s executive body and is made up of 40 member states elected by the IMO Assembly. The upcoming session will provide a forum for governments and industry stakeholders to assess the situation and consider potential responses to safeguard maritime operations and crews in the region.
