Iran's toll imposition on Hormuz illegal: IMO chief

Iran's move to impose tolls on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz is completely illegal and should be rejected by the international community, said Arsenio Dominguez, Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). The controversy has emerged amid the fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran.

In an interview with Al Jazeera on Saturday, April 11, Dominguez made it clear that "no country has the right to impose tolls, payments or charges on this strait. Imposing tolls is a direct violation of international law."

He further said, "I call for no one to use such services, as this would set a bad precedent that would be extremely harmful to global shipping."

Iranian authorities have demanded tolls be imposed on ships traversing the Strait of Hormuz even after the war ends. US President Donald Trump has also proposed a 'joint venture' for toll collection under Washington and Tehran's combined initiative.

Despite the two-week ceasefire declared between the US and Iran last Tuesday, vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively suspended. This has severely disrupted oil and natural gas exports from the Gulf region. According to S&P Global data, only 22 ships (with their Automatic Identification Systems active) have transited the strait since the ceasefire began, compared to an average of 135 ships per day before the war.

Dominguez emphasised that the primary solution to halted shipping in the strait is an end to the war. "There was no problem in the Strait of Hormuz before this conflict began," he said.

He added, "Once the conflict ends, we can begin to restore shipping in the region step by step. For that, concerned countries must take effective measures to eliminate potential risks, including mines."

Dismissing the need for any new agreement or framework to manage the strait, the IMO chief noted that the 1968 Traffic Separation Scheme signed between Iran and Oman was functioning properly before the conflict.

The IMO chief expressed concern that nearly 20,000 seafarers are stranded in the Gulf region due to the suspension of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. "This is my greatest concern. The longer this situation continues, the more harmful it will be for them. There will be negative impacts on the global economy, but my priority is the innocent people serving on ships."

Source: Al Jazeera