Liberia's Maritime Commissioner, Cllr. Neto Zarzar Lighe, Sr., has called on the international community to protect seafarers and merchant ships from attacks in the Strait of Hormuz. As the world's largest flag state, Liberia has a significant stake in the world's oceans, with its flag flying over roughly one in every six tons of shipping afloat. The commissioner's appeal was made at the International Maritime Organization in London.
The war between the US and Iran has resulted in a record number of attacks on merchant ships in the Strait of Hormuz, with 145 incidents reported since the conflict began on February 28. In October alone, there were over 30 attacks, resulting in the sinking of a container ship, the GFS Pride, and the killing of 24 seafarers. About 6,000 seafarers are currently stranded on ships in the Gulf, unable to return home to their families.
Liberian-flagged ships have been among those targeted, with several vessels hit in recent months. The bulk carrier Minoan Pioneer was struck in August, and its third engineer remains missing. In late September, three Liberian-flagged tankers were hit on a single day, and the tanker Lipsi caught fire after a strike in early October. As a result, the Liberian Maritime Authority has ordered vessels in the area to operate at the highest security level, Level 3.
Both the US and Iran bear responsibility for making the Strait of Hormuz a war zone. Iran's Revolutionary Guards have fired on and mined ships that did not have Tehran's permission to sail, while the US has imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports and warned ships that they may be targeted. The conflict has resulted in significant humanitarian and economic costs, with oil prices rising, insurance premiums soaring, and supply chains seizing up.
The economic impact of the conflict is being felt in Liberia, which imports nearly all its fuel, much of its rice, and most of the goods sold in its markets. The war is fought thousands of miles away, but the bill lands at Liberian petrol stations and on Liberian market tables. A ceasefire brokered by Pakistan in April and talks in Islamabad in June failed to produce a lasting settlement, and the attacks have resumed with greater force.
Liberia is calling on the US and Iran to return to the negotiating table and agree to a lasting ceasefire. The International Maritime Organization, under Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez, has worked to protect seafarers and deserves the support of every member state, including the two warring parties. Liberia's Maritime Commissioner, Cllr. Lighe, emphasized that the seas must remain corridors of peaceful commerce, international cooperation, and human progress.
The international community is urged to support Liberia's appeal and pressure the US and Iran to end their war. The conflict must be brought to an end to prevent further humanitarian and economic suffering. The seafarers who have been stranded or killed in the conflict deserve protection, and the world's oceans must be preserved as corridors of peaceful commerce.
Key points
- Liberia, the world's largest flag state, has seen its ships targeted in the Strait of Hormuz.
- The conflict between the US and Iran has resulted in significant humanitarian and economic costs.
- Liberia is urging the US and Iran to return to the negotiating table and agree to a lasting ceasefire.
