New York, March 7, 2026 (NAN) The International Maritime Organization (IMO) says no fewer than 3,000 vessels and 20,000 seafarers are stranded in Middle East over the ongoing war by the U.S. and Israel against Iran.
The crucial Strait of Hormuz global shipping corridor marking the entrance to the Persian Gulf, is essentially closed due to the threat of strikes from Iran and elsewhere, IMO declared.
IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez, warned of theĀ global āknock-onā effect from the closure of the sea lane responsible for 20 per cent of the worldās oil.
Dominguez disclosed that the Strait of Hormuz was closed after a tugboat assisting another vessel in the strait on Friday morning was struck killing four seafarers.
The UN shipping agency chief condemned the attack andĀ that the overall situation was ādeterioratingā and urged ships to avoid navigating in the region.
He urged member states to āfind solutions through dialogue in order to de-escalateā and restore free and safe movement across the region.
UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher further warned that theĀ widening conflict in the Middle East could trigger far-reaching humanitarian consequences well beyond the region.
Fletcher saidĀ disruptions to key maritime routes such as the Strait of Hormuz could drive up food prices.
The UN relief chief added that the disruption could strain health systems and make humanitarian supplies harder to deliver, hitting the most vulnerable people first. (NAN)
