Shipping Companies Release Joint Letter Regarding Strait of Hormuz Fees

An international group of shipping trade associations has sent a letter to UN Secretary General, António Guterres and IMO Secretary General, Arsenio Dominguez, calling for no compulsory tolls or charges to be introduced in the Strait of Hormuz and beyond. The letter is as follows:

Dear Secretaries General,

We are writing to you to reiterate our concerns regarding the potential imposition of tolls or service fees in the Strait of Hormuz.

As the International Maritime Organization has highlighted repeatedly, since the beginning of the conflict seafarers have been operating in an environment of heightened uncertainty, with some sustaining injuries and tragically losing their lives while carrying out their work at sea. The safety of seafarers who make global trade possible should be non-negotiable.

So too must be freedom of navigation. The ability of merchant ships to navigate international waterways safely, predictably and without unnecessary impediment is fundamental to resilient supply chains, economic stability and energy security.

Introducing compulsory charges for transit, or service fees that are a toll in all but name, through the Strait of Hormuz would represent a significant departure from established international practice. Beyond the immediate financial implications for global trade, it would establish a