The International Maritime Organization (IMO), the United Nations agency that oversees global shipping, has called for an immediate end to attacks on ships and sailors passing through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
The resolution, adopted at the Maritime Safety Committee meeting in London last week, condemned the attacks as “illegal and unjustifiable,” and underscored that these actions pose a direct threat to navigation freedom in one of the world’s most vital waterways and create significant disruptions to regional and global trade.
This is the first resolution on this issue since the Houthis captured the M/V Galaxy Leader in November 2023. Since then, the Iranian-backed Houthis have carried out more than 50 missile and drone attacks against international shipping and naval vessels. The attacks have so far resulted in the loss of one ship, the M/V Rubymar, and deaths of three seafarers from the M/V True Confidence. The remaining 25 crew members of the Galaxy Leader are still being held hostage, with the Committee demanding their immediate and unconditional release.
The resolution stated, “The Houthis’ reckless actions are putting innocent lives at risk, disrupting the delivery of urgently needed humanitarian aid to those who need it most, increasing the cost of this humanitarian assistance, and destabilizing the region.”
The Committee urged for peaceful dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the crisis, and specifically appealed to any party with influence over the Houthis to use it to halt the attacks. It further underscored that all 176 IMO Member States have a duty to prevent the direct or indirect supply of arms and related materiel to the Houthis, in accordance with the targeted UN arms embargo.
“IMO Member States are unequivocal in their condemnation of these reckless attacks,” said IMO Secretary-General, Mr. Arsenio Dominguez. “The maritime industry sustains the supply chains that are the lifeline of nations and populations around the world — innocent seafarers and commercial ships trading essential supplies should be free to navigate, unhindered by geopolitical tensions.”
The resolution encouraged ship operators and vessels to assess the nature and unpredictability of recent events, as well as the potential for continued attacks in the area, when planning their transits.
