IMO says Hormuz shipping lanes remain unsafe as mines may exist
Tehran, Nov 3
International Maritime Organization Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez has declined to confirm that mines had been cleared from the Strait of Hormuz, warning that passage remained unsafe.
Speaking at a Q&A session at IMO headquarters in London on Monday (local time), Dominguez reiterated the organisation's advice against transiting the strait amid conflicting Iranian and US accounts of the mine threat.
Iran has repeatedly claimed that vessels struck mines after entering "unauthorised" routes. The US Central Command has denied those accounts and said it had cleared mines from the strait's international shipping lanes.
Responding to a question from Xinhua news agency, Dominguez said he had received no confirmation that the traffic separation scheme, the designated shipping lanes through the strait, had been cleared of mines.
"There's no confirmation that there are no mines in the region. So I cannot guarantee that it's safe," he said. "That's why we're not recommending anyone to go through the Strait of Hormuz."
The IMO-established traffic separation scheme is currently not in operation. Vessels still transiting the strait have been using alternative routes to the north through Iranian waters under Iranian control, or to the south near the Omani coast with US naval escorts.
Dominguez said the IMO has not adopted these arrangements, so the organisation can not guarantee safe passage.
He added that vessels had also been hit by unidentified projectiles. Investigations were difficult during the conflict, making it impossible to establish whether some incidents involved mines, drones or missiles.
"But that doesn't change the message that it is just not safe to go through the Strait of Hormuz," he said.
The IMO recorded about 30 attacks on ships in the strait and surrounding waters in October, making it one of the months with the highest numbers of attacks, Dominguez said.
Some incidents had caused oil spills or other pollution.
Around 6,000 seafarers remained aboard approximately 350 to 400 ships in the Gulf region, he said.
The IMO has been coordinating with regional countries, the International Transport Workers' Federation and other stakeholders to provide supplies, medical care, mental health support and assistance with family communications, he added.
— IANS
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