Cargo ships sail within the Arabian Gulf in direction of Strait of Hormuz in United Arab Emirates, on March 19, 2026.
| Photograph Credit score: AP
Strongly condemning the “threats and assaults towards vessels and purported closure of the Strait of Hormuz,” UN’s transport company known as for the institution of a protected maritime framework, as a provisional and pressing measure, to “facilitate the protected evacuation of service provider ships at the moment confined inside the Gulf area.”
The Council of the Worldwide Maritime Group (IMO) famous that the closure of the Strait has “adversely affected service provider and industrial vessels and threatened the security and welfare of seafarers.”
Iran-Israel warfare updates on March 19, 2026
“The Council known as for a coordinated method to safety be adopted and that the response be internationally coordinated.”
“The Council urged that each one assaults on ships affecting harmless civilian seafarers be halted instantly. It known as upon Member States to make sure the continual provision of water, meals, gas and different important provides to ships at the moment unable to depart the area,” it added.
The extraordinary session of Council was convened following requests from a number of Member States.
IMO’s Secretary-Basic Arsenio Dominguez stated:“I’m prepared to begin working instantly in negotiations to ascertain a humanitarian framework to evacuate all vessels and seafarers trapped. Nevertheless, for this to materialize, I’ll want the understanding, dedication and, above all, the concrete actions from all related nations and stakeholders.”
On the extraordinary session, States had been inspired to facilitate crew change and crew renewal operations in accordance with worldwide requirements, to safeguard the well being, security and well-being of the seafarers affected. “The Council urged States to make sure that seafarers’ communication with their households and associates could be maintained and that shops and provisions stay sufficient for his or her wants.”
The session was convened as round 20,000 seafarers remained stranded on roughly 3,200 vessels west of the Strait of Hormuz, in keeping with the UN physique.
Iranian assaults on ships within the area have created an efficient blockade of the essential chokepoint, by means of which a fifth of worldwide crude and liquified pure gasoline usually transits.
Alongside different strikes within the battle, which has dramatically spiked oil costs and spooked markets.
(With inputs from AFP)
Printed – March 20, 2026 05:02 am IST