The Secretary General of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), Arsenio Dominguez has expressed concerns over rising cases of unfair treatment of seafarers, which he said were regrettably growing.
Dominguez expressed the concern in his opening remarks to the IMO Legal Committee meeting, held earlier in the week.
Dominguez said the safety and wellbeing of seafarers must remain of utmost importance.
He reiterated his call for the immediate release of the crew of Galaxy Leader, a car carrier seized by Houthis in November 2023.
He noted the recent letter from the shipping industry to the Secretary General of the United Nations, appealing for the release of the container ship and its crew after the ship was seized by Iranian authorities earlier in April.
Dominguez further stated that he was in constant search for solutions, continuing conversations with the UN and other stakeholders.
“The plight of the seafarers affected by these incidents must not be forgotten and it is incumbent upon us to pursue every available avenue to secure their safe return to their loved ones and their livelihoods.
“International shipping must not be targeted and used as a means of exerting pressure in geopolitical crises.
“And I call on you here to continue your efforts to return to normalcy and for ships and seafarers to continue doing their work without threats and interruptions.
“This poses a threat to the future sustainability of merchant shipping. It negatively affects the morale of seafarers and recruitment of qualified young people into the seafaring profession,” he stated.