Arsenio Dominguez, who is the head of the UN's maritime body, has urged "practical measures" for the protection of trading ships threatened by war in the Middle East.
The call from the International Maritime Organization (IMO)’s secretary general was made as he opened today an emergency meeting amid fears for the thousands of stranded vessels and some 20,000 seafarers in the region.
The Extraordinary Session of the IMO’s Council is to address the impacts given the situation affecting the Arabian Sea, the Sea of Oman, and the Gulf region, and in particular around the Strait of Hormuz.
The London-headquartered IMO is responsible for regulating international shipping safety, and so the meeting is to discuss efforts to ease the crisis affecting shipping during the two-day gathering held at its Thames-side location.
Its 40-member Council could vote tomorrow on several proposed resolutions, including one to "establish a safe maritime corridor to allow the safe evacuation of seafarers and ships stranded in the Persian Gulf."
RTE News has more on the development.
