IMO chief says shipping must not be collateral in US-Iran conflict

Unitednations,UPDATED: Jun 26, 2026 22:36 IST

Maritime Organization Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez has said shipping should not be used as collateral in any geopolitical conflict, as he raised concern over the impact of the current US-Iran conflict on seafarers. Speaking on Friday, he said seafarers felt "forgotten" even as the conflict continued to affect lives at sea.

His remarks came after a series of attacks on commercial vessels in the region, including one earlier this month off the coast of Oman in which three Indian seafarers were killed in a US attack on the commercial tanker Settebello. The vessel had 24 Indian crew members on board. Two days earlier, a Palau-flagged vessel with 24 Indians had also come under attack by the US Navy as it tried to evade the US blockade of Iranian ports.

Responding to a question by PTI during a virtual press conference, Dominguez said, "For me, the key message is very loud and clear. We need to look after the seafarers better, and shipping should not be used as collateral in any geopolitical conflict." He said the conflict affected innocent people such as seafarers, as well as people around the world who were not part of it.

According to Indian government data, Indians account for 12 per cent of the global seafaring workforce. India's seafarer workforce has grown from 1.25 lakh to more than 3 lakh, making the country one of the world's top three suppliers of trained seafarers engaged in navigation, ship operations, logistics and allied industries. India has voiced firm opposition to attacks on merchant shipping amid the ongoing Iran conflict and told the UN Security Council, "Many Indian nationals have lost their lives or are missing as a result of attacks against countries of the region and against merchant vessels and sea lanes of communication."

Dominguez said, "The seafarers feel forgotten, particularly by the global media and by everyone around the world, and whenever they turn on the news, they listen to how this conflict is really being negative for the countries, for the global economy, the fuel price etc, and not so much attention on the innocent seafarers." He said seafarers had been the priority of all the work the IMO carried out. "It is regrettable that 14 seafarers have actually lost their lives in more than 40 attacks on different vessels during the conflict," he said.

He said he had spoken to some seafarers who had left the region and heard about the difficulties they had endured. "The main focus of my actions has been working with the countries in the region, the flag states of all those vessels, as well as the nationalities of the seafarers and the ship owners to continue to provide support to the seafarers that are still stuck there," he said. This included ensuring supplies such as water, fuel for vessels, food and medical assistance, and helping them contact their families "so they can still have those connections". He added, "I also learned not only how difficult it's been for them to be in an area with so much danger and uncertainty, but at the same time how resilient they are in supporting each other."

After the Settebello attack, Dominguez had expressed his "deep sadness" and "strong condemnation" of the attack. "This is simply unacceptable. My thoughts are with the families of the three seafarers who lost their lives and with all those awaiting news of the crew members," he had said. He added, "All actions affecting international shipping must fully respect international law and the safety of life at sea. The protection of seafarers is a shared responsibility that must remain paramount." On Thursday, the IMO said it had decided to temporarily pause its evacuation operation after an attack on a vessel in the Gulf of Oman, pending further clarity.

Dominguez's remarks underscored the risks faced by seafarers in the conflict zone, the deaths and attacks already reported, and the IMO's effort to support those still stranded while calling for the safety of civilian shipping and crews to remain paramount.

With PTI Inputs

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