The International Maritime Organization convened a special meeting to discuss the situation in the Gulf.

March 20, 2026, 9:00 AM
Xinhua
10
Guide
Highlights at a glance
The 36th extraordinary session of the IMO Council was held at its headquarters in London on 18 March, focusing on tensions in the Gulf region, particularly in the Strait of Hormuz. Secretary-General Dominguez disclosed at the meeting that the recent merchant ship attacks in the region have killed at least seven seafarers and seriously injured many others. About 20,000 seafarers are still trapped on ships in the Persian Gulf, under great security risks and mental stress. Dominguez stressed that innocent seafarers and civilian ships must not become victims of a wider geopolitical conflict, and urgently called on all parties to work together to de-escalate the conflict and ensure that affected seafarers can be safely evacuated with the ship. He further warned that the current situation is unsustainable, geopolitical tensions are pushing the global shipping industry to its limits, and its negative impact will spread from the global economy to food security and other fields, causing widespr
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