Maritime Security and Safety
IMO Chief Demands Coordinated Global Response as Hormuz Crisis Leaves 20,000 Seafarers Stranded
IMO Chief Demands Coordinated Global Response as Hormuz Crisis Leaves 20,000 Seafarers Stranded
By Okeoghene Onoriobe | Waterways News Correspondent | Lagos
LAGOS — The Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Arsenio Dominguez, has sounded the alarm over the deepening humanitarian and shipping crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, warning that piecemeal national responses are failing stranded seafarers and threatening the integrity of global trade routes.
Dominguez issued the call during a virtual high-level meeting convened by the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, bringing together foreign ministers from more than 40 countries to assess conditions in one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints.
At the heart of the appeal is the fate of an estimated 20,000 seafarers who remain stranded aboard vessels in the Persian Gulf following a sharp escalation in hostilities that began on February 28, 2026. Since then, the IMO has recorded at least 21 attacks on commercial shipping in the region, leaving 10 seafarers dead and several others with serious injuries. Those still aboard vessels are enduring dwindling provisions, extreme fatigue, and mounting psychological strain.
Diplomacy Over Fragmentation
Dominguez was unequivocal in his assessment of what the crisis demands. “Fragmented responses are no longer sufficient to resolve this crisis. What is urgently required is diplomatic engagement, practical and neutral solutions, and coordinated international action,” he told ministers.
The IMO chief urged all parties to uphold freedom of navigation, protect the rights and welfare of seafarers, and support the establishment of humanitarian corridors to facilitate urgent aid delivery to affected vessels.
IMO’s Operational Response
Following an extraordinary IMO Council session held on March 18 and 19, the organisation has moved to operationalise a maritime evacuation framework built around cooperation with coastal states, verified security assurances, and industry-wide coordination.
Key measures already underway include efforts to guarantee safe passage for stranded crews, strengthen data collection and verification processes, and maintain supply lines to affected vessels. The IMO has also launched a dedicated online platform to provide verified, real-time information for seafarers and maritime stakeholders navigating the crisis.
The organisation is working in close partnership with major industry bodies — including BIMCO, ICS, ITF, INTERTANKO, and WSC — to enhance information sharing and mount a coherent sector-wide response.
UN Task Force Activated
The IMO is also participating in a newly established United Nations task force led by Jorge Moreira da Silva, Executive Director of the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS). The task force draws in representatives from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), with a mandate to address the full range of humanitarian challenges unfolding in the region.
Dominguez reiterated that seafarers are neutral actors performing lawful duties and must not become pawns in geopolitical disputes. Describing the situation as “unacceptable and unsustainable,” he called on all stakeholders to take immediate, concrete steps to safeguard seafarers in line with their obligations under international law.
Nigeria Watch
How the Hormuz Crisis Touches Nigerian Maritime Interests
The escalating crisis in the Strait of Hormuz carries direct and compounding implications for Nigeria’s maritime sector, energy economy, and seafaring workforce.
Crude exports and tanker exposure. Nigeria remains a significant crude oil exporter, and a substantial share of Nigerian crude — particularly grades bound for Asian markets — transits routes that feed through or are priced against Persian Gulf benchmarks. Sustained disruption in the Hormuz corridor tightens global tanker supply, pushes spot fixture rates higher, and compresses margins for Nigerian charterers and terminal operators reliant on cost-competitive freight. The Dangote Refinery, now exporting refined products, is similarly exposed to tanker availability pressures in a disrupted market.
Nigerian seafarers at risk. Nigeria is one of Africa’s largest suppliers of maritime labour, with thousands of Nigerian officers and ratings serving aboard vessels globally. The possibility that Nigerian nationals are among the 20,000 seafarers stranded in the Persian Gulf cannot be discounted. NIMASA, as the flag state administration and the body responsible for the welfare of Nigerian seafarers internationally, should be urgently engaging the IMO’s evacuation framework and establishing a roster of Nigerian crew members currently operating in the affected corridor.
NPA and port throughput. If Hormuz disruption persists and rerouting via the Cape of Good Hope becomes a sustained reality — as was seen during the Red Sea crisis — voyage durations lengthen, vessel turnaround times extend, and cargo arrival schedules at Nigerian ports including Apapa, Tin Can Island, and Lekki Deep Sea Port become less predictable. Port operators and freight forwarders should be stress-testing their scheduling assumptions accordingly.
Policy signal for Abuja.
The IMO’s push for a multilateral evacuation framework and its engagement of coastal states is a prompt for Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy to signal its position. Nigeria’s standing within IMO governance structures — and its aspirations for a greater blue economy leadership role — would be enhanced by a formal statement of support for the IMO Secretary-General’s position and by offering, where feasible, logistical or diplomatic cooperation within the West African sub-region.
The Nigerian Shippers’ Council should also be monitoring freight rate developments closely, as prolonged Hormuz disruption historically feeds through to elevated surcharges on Nigerian import and export cargo — a burden ultimately passed to shippers and consumers.