The United Arab Emirates has expressed strong support for the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) initiative to create a safe shipping corridor in the Gulf, viewing it as essential for safeguarding global trade and assisting stranded seafarers amid rising tensions. Following an emergency session of the IMO Council in London, the UAE condemned Iranian threats and attacks on commercial vessels, particularly Iran’s attempts to control the Strait of Hormuz.
The UAE highlighted the dangers posed by such actions, emphasizing the risks to maritime safety and the marine environment. The IMO’s proposal, resulting from urgent discussions, aims to establish a temporary “safe maritime corridor” to facilitate the evacuation of ships from the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz, where many vessels and their crews remain trapped.
Currently, approximately 20,000 seafarers are stranded aboard nearly 3,200 ships in the waters west of this critical chokepoint due to Iranian disruptions. The UAE pointed out that the Strait of Hormuz is vital not only for energy transport—accounting for about 20% of the world’s crude oil and liquefied natural gas—but also for the movement of essential goods and international trade.
Abu Dhabi cautioned that any disruption to this corridor could have significant repercussions for global markets, economic stability, and living costs, particularly in vulnerable regions. The UAE reiterated its stance against using the Strait as a tool for economic coercion, warning that such actions threaten regional stability and the global economic framework.
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