The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has welcomed the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) evacuation plan for thousands of seafarers stranded in the Middle East since late February.
According to ICS, the priority remains the safe evacuation of around 11,000 seafarers who have been unable to leave the region.
“The priority remains the safe evacuation of the 11,000 seafarers who have been stranded in the region since the end of February,” said an ICS spokesperson.
The organisation stressed that successful evacuations will require close coordination between the IMO, governments in the region and the shipping industry.
“We have consistently said that this will require coordination between the International Maritime Organization (IMO), states in the region and, crucially, the industry,” the spokesperson said.
ICS described the IMO’s evacuation plan as a positive step towards improving coordination and restoring freedom of navigation.
“The IMO evacuation plan is a welcome development to delivering this coordination and restoring freedom of navigation,” the spokesperson said. “It is vital this plan works in harmony, rather than conflicting, with existing mechanisms.”
The organisation added that it will continue working with the IMO and industry partners to help ensure the safe departure of ships from the region.
“We will continue to work with the IMO and industry partners to ensure the safety and security of shipping seeking to exit the region,” the spokesperson concluded.
