INTERPORTPOLICE participates in IMO Council, March 2026

The Council of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), meeting in an Extraordinary Session (C/ES 36) at IMO Headquarters in London on 18 and 19 March 2026, strongly condemned the threats and attacks against vessels and purported closure of the Strait of Hormuz, in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2817, which have adversely affected merchant and commercial vessels and threatened the safety and welfare of seafarers. As an organization in consultative status with IMO, INTERPORTPOLICE participated in the meeting as an observer. The Council called for a coordinated approach to security to be adopted and that the response be internationally coordinated. The exercise of navigational rights and freedoms by merchant and commercial vessels, in accordance with international law, must be respected. The Council urged that all attacks on ships affecting innocent civilian seafarers be halted immediately. It called upon Member States to ensure the continuous provision of water, food, fuel and other essential supplies to ships currently unable to leave the region. Some 20,000 seafarers are currently affected. To this end, States were encouraged to facilitate crew change and crew renewal operations in accordance with international standards, to safeguard the health, safety and well-being of the seafarers affected. The Council urged States to ensure that seafarers’ communication with their families and friends can be maintained and that stores and provisions remain adequate for their needs. The Council called for a coordinated international approach to the safety of navigation, taking into account the fatigue and pressure of those on board, the master’s overriding authority, as well as the risks associated with transiting the area while Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) suffer extensive jamming and spoofing. The Council further called for the establishment of a safe maritime framework, as a provisional and urgent measure, to facilitate the safe evacuation of merchant ships currently confined within the Gulf region. This measure aims to protect the lives of seafarers and ensure safe commercial shipping by avoiding military attacks. For further details, visit www.imo.org