IMO Chief Urges States to Enforce Safety Rules at Hormuz
The Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Arsenio Dominguez, has urged member States to step up enforcement of maritime safety and security rules in and around the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway between Iran and Oman linking the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman. His statement, issued from IMO headquarters in London on 11 November, comes as attacks on merchant ships in the region continue.
Dominguez said IMO’s technical and operational rules exist to protect seafarers, ships and the marine environment, and “must be respected and enforced effectively.”
From the CrewMirror Blog
He said many ships are passing through the strait without meeting basic requirements of treaties such as SOLAS. He pointed to substandard ships, ships hiding their IMO numbers, ships registered fraudulently or under false flags, and other unsafe practices. He asked flag, port and coastal States to deal with such violations within their jurisdictions under IMO conventions and international law.
He also urged shipowners and operators to avoid commercial activity in the strait that exposes seafarers to unacceptable risk. Following recent IMO Council decisions, he called for political solutions that restore a single, safe and internationally recognised navigation framework for the strait. IMO has confirmed about 130 incidents involving merchant ships in the region since late February, with at least 25 seafarers killed.
CrewMirror Takeaway
Seafarers offered berths on ships with hidden IMO numbers, doubtful flags or switched-off AIS face higher risk and weaker legal protection. Such concerns are best raised with the union, the flag State or, for Indian seafarers, DGMA before signing on.
