The Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Mr. Arsenio Dominguez has urged States to support diplomatic efforts to secure the evacuation of around 20,000 seafarers still stranded in the Persian Gulf, and enable humanitarian corridors for urgent assistance.  

During a virtual meeting for Foreign Ministers from more than 40 countries hosted by the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) to discuss the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, Secretary-General Dominguez called on all Parties to respect the rights and freedoms of navigation and stressed the paramount importance of the safety and wellbeing of seafarers. 

He emphasized the need for de-escalation and operational maritime solutions rather than purely military approaches. 

“Fragmented responses are no longer sufficient to resolve this crisis. What is urgently required is diplomatic engagement, practical and neutral solutions, and coordinated international action,” he said following the meeting. 

“IMO is advancing a maritime evacuation framework built on coastal State cooperation, security guarantees and operational coordination, with the clear objective of releasing stranded vessels, enabling safe crew rotations and preventing an environmental disaster.”

Safe passage for seafarers

Ongoing discussions are being held by the IMO Secretary-General and representatives from the relevant States on the development of a safe passage framework to evacuate seafarers currently stranded in the Persian Gulf. 

Support from coastal States

IMO is engaging States in the region that have stepped forward to secure supply lines to ships and facilitate humanitarian access for seafarers. Focal point information is available on IMO’s dedicated webpage. 

Supporting industry coordination

IMO maintains close communication with industry bodies (BIMCO, ICS, ITF, INTERTANKO, WSC and others) to share information and coordinate action where necessary.