IAPH joins calls by ICS for the immediate release of the seafarers and the ship
Following the seizure which took place earlier today in the Arabian Gulf, the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) calls upon the immediate release of the international crew as well as the MSC-chartered vessel MSC Aries.
“We express our deepest concern for the welfare of the seafarers of this ship, which follows the hijacking of the crew of the Ro-Ro carrier Galaxy Leader in the Red Sea back in November. As stated by our colleagues at the International Chamber of Shipping, innocent seafarers are suffering directly as a consequence of geopolitical conflicts, and this has serious implications for the global maritime communities and the ports that serve them” commented Patrick Verhoeven, IAPH’s Managing Director.
The seizure, which was confirmed by both the Iranian state news agency as well as the charterer, is of a 14,300 TEU capacity container ship which had just completed a call at Khalifa port in the UAE and which was heading with cargo onboard for her next call at Nhava Shiva port in India.
Patrick Verhoeven added : “The recent attacks on merchant shipping in the Red Sea and in the Gulf of Aden have impacted the fluidity of the global maritime transport chain, and specifically on trade and port activities in and around the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. The attack today in the Gulf of Oman has the potential to further disrupt cargo transits in and out of the region, which will impact all of our member ports one way or another. This make it all the more important to share information and know how on how to respond to these constant disruptions, together.
