Published on: 2026-04-27
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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Issues in the field of maritime security affect every port and every country, including even those states that do not have access to the sea. This was stated at the Security Council meeting by the UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
A high-level meeting on the topic “Safety and Security of Maritime Waterways” was convened at the initiative of Bassenrein, who is presiding over the Security Council in April. Representatives of dozens of countries are participating in the meeting.
Assemblies in the supply can cause a global crisis
The UN Secretary-General emphasized that the crisis in the Hormuz Strait directly affects the lives of ordinary people, leading to shortages of fuel and food. The humanitarian sector suffers especially badly, as due to disruptions in cargo deliveries, people in need of assistance worldwide cannot receive it. The situation is exacerbated by the fact that the blockade of the strait coincided with the planting season, when fertilizers are needed, a significant portion of which was delivered through the strait.
“Prolonged disruptions in supply threaten to cause a global food crisis, as a result of which millions of people, especially in Africa and South Asia, will find themselves in conditions of hunger and poverty,” Guterres said.
In the gravest situation will be the least developed countries and small island states that are most dependent on maritime imports and find it hardest to cope with current problems.
“The Ocean must be a zone of peace and cooperation”
The head of the UN reminded that more than 20 thousand sailors and 2 thousand commercial vessels still cannot leave the strait. He emphasized that civilian workers are not parties to the conflict, and their rights and safety must necessarily be protected under all circumstances.
As a practical step, the Secretary-General called on states to support the emergency evacuation plan prepared by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
He also addressed the participants of the conflict with a call to open the floodgates and allow all courts through it.
“The Ocean should be a zone of peace and cooperation, not confrontation or coercion,” said the UN Secretary-General.
The Secretary-General confirmed the UN’s readiness to assist countries in locating points of contact.
IMO Chief spoke about the plan for the evacuation of sailors
IMO Chief Arsenio Dominguez, addressing those gathered via video link, provided a detailed account of the plan for evacuating sailors from the Hormuz Strait.
“In accordance with the decision of the IMO Council, I have begun developing an evacuation mechanism using the existing traffic separation scheme for the safe evacuation of ships and sailors from the conflict zone – provided that this will be safe,” Dominguez said.
Technical and operational measures are implemented with the participation of regional countries, including Iran, and with the support of countries facilitating negotiations, the head of the IMO noted.
“I would take advantage of this opportunity to appeal to the states: to support the IMO plan to assist in the evacuation of affected sailors; to provide timely assistance in eliminating any threats to merchant vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, including mines,” said Dominguez.
Expert: the measures taken are insufficient
Speaking before the Security Council, maritime safety expert Nick Childs stated that a dangerous and unstable period has begun for the world’s waterways.
Childs, senior research fellow on maritime security at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, noted that the international response measures adopted to date are insufficient and called on countries for more coordinated and consistent interaction.
He emphasized that to ensure the safety of key sea routes, rules based on international standards are required, and at the same time, they must necessarily adapt to the changing situation.
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