Shipping industry calls on UN to safeguard ships following Iran seizure

Tensions have escalated in the Middle East since Israel’s campaign in Gaza in October, resulting in clashes between Israeli or U.S. forces and Iranian-aligned groups in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen. Following Iran’s seizure of the MSC Aries container ship in April, leading shipping industry associations wrote to the U.N. Secretary-General highlighting concerns about the targeting of shipping vessels. The letter emphasized the need for enhanced military presence in the region to protect seafarers from further aggression.

The industry letter pointed out the deaths of innocent seafarers and the taking of crew members as hostages, calling for a similar level of response and concern as for airline incidents. India announced the return of one mariner from the MSC Aries, with 16 Indian crew members still held aboard the vessel. The letter stressed the neutrality of seafarers and the maritime sector, urging against politicization.

Recent attacks on merchant shipping by Yemen’s Houthi rebels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, as well as previous instances of vessel seizures by Iran in international waters, have increased risks for global maritime transport. The shipping industry’s call for coordinated military presence, missions, and patrols in the region aims to ensure the protection of seafarers against further potential threats.

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