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Photo: International Maritime Organization
The International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) 40-Member Council met virtually for an extraordinary session this week to address the impacts on shipping and seafarers in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov in light of Russia’s continuing invasion of Ukraine.
The IMO Council serves as agency’s “executive organ” responsible for supervising the work of the international shipping regulator.
During the meeting, the Council strongly condemned the Russia Federation’s invasion of Ukraine, a United Nations Member State, and deplored the attacks by Russia against commercial vessels. It also called on Russia to immediately cease its “unlawful activities” for the safety of ships and shipping in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.
The special meeting comes as commercial ships in the region have been targeted by explosives amid the conflict. It is also reported that more than 140 ships with more than 1,000 seafarers have been trapped in Ukraine waters since the Russian invasion began.
The Council underscored the importance of preserving the safety and welfare of seafarers and urged Member States and organizations to provide “maximum assistance” to seafarers caught up in the conflict, and called on the need to preserve the security of international shipping and the entire maritime community.
Last month, IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim expressed his “grave concern” regarding the spillover effects on global shipping, logistics and supply chains from the military action in Ukraine, in particular the impacts on the delivery of commodities and food to developing nations and energy supplies. The Secretary-General also highlighted that ships, seafarers and port workers engaged in legitimate trade must not become collateral victims in the crisis.
During the meeting, the Council requested that IMO committees consider ways to enhance the efforts to support affected seafarers and commercial vessels. As a provisional measure, the Council agreed to encourage the establishment of a “blue safe maritime corridor” to allow the safe evacuation of seafarers and ships from the high-risk areas in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.
The Council also welcomed a proposal to support seafarers and their families during the crisis. The proposal includes a list of steps such as ensuring access to wages, condemning harassment of seafarers due to their nationality, and acknowledgment by governments of the key worker status of seafarers and allowing their unrestricted movement.
The IMO’s full statement is below:
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) held an extraordinary session of its Council (C/ES.35) on 10 and 11 March to address the impacts on shipping and seafarers of the situation in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.
The IMO Council made the following decisions.
The Council:
Blue safe maritime corridor
The Council agreed to encourage the establishment, as a provisional and urgent measure, of a blue safe maritime corridor to allow the safe evacuation of seafarers and ships from the high-risk and affected areas in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov to a safe place in order to protect the life of seafarers, ensure the mobilization and commercial navigation of vessels intending to use this corridor by avoiding military attacks and protecting and securing the maritime domain.
The Council, in this regard, taking into account the sensitivities of the matter, invited the Secretary-General to collaborate with the relevant parties and take necessary immediate actions to initiate the establishment and support the implementation of a blue safe maritime corridor in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov and keep Member States informed of developments and report to the next session of the Council.
The Secretary-General has indicated his commitment to take immediate action to realize the blue safe maritime corridor with the cooperation and collaboration of the relevant parties including littoral states.
Proposal to support seafarers
The Council welcomed the proposal that a number of steps should be taken to reduce the suffering of seafarers and their families, as follows:
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