The main international transport associations have sent an open letter to the Secretary General of the United Nations, António Guterres, and the Secretary of State General of the International Maritime Organization, Arsenio Dominguez, in which they reiterate their opposition the imposition of tolls or service charges applied to ships that transit the Strait of Hormuz.

In the letter, signed by the Asian Shipowners Association (ASA), BIMCO, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), European Shipowners | ECSA, International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), Intercargo, Intertanko and the World Shipping Council (WSC), the associations recall how the IMO has "repeatedly stressed, from the beginning of the conflict, that seafarers operate in a context of high uncertainty, with some who have suffered injuries and, tragically, lost their lives while carrying out their work at sea". Highlighting that "the safety of that make global trade possible, should not be negotiable", the associations stressed that "The same goes for freedom of navigation. The ability of merchant ships to navigate the routes maritime operations in a safe, predictable and unnecessary way impediments - they noted in the letter - is essential for the resilience of supply chains, stability economic and energy security".

The open letter goes on to denounce that "the introduction of compulsory transit tariffs, or service tariffs which fact constitute a toll, across the Strait of Hormuz would represent a significant deviation from practice international consolidated data. In addition to the immediate implications global trade would set a precedent that could undermine the internationally recognised legal framework governing the straits used for navigation and international transit. Once a precedent of this has been established - the eight associations observed - is becoming more and more difficult to oppose similar measures elsewhere, creating uncertainty for the international maritime transport and for global trade".

In addition, ASA, BIMCO, CLIA, ECSA, ICS, Intercargo, Intertanko and WSC specified that "any additional costs imposed maritime transport inevitably affects the supply chain international chains, with consequences that go beyond the costs of maritime transport, contributing to the increase in prices inflation, and increased economic uncertainty. Ultimately, these impacts will have a human cost, compromising livelihoods around the world. It is essential continue to support the safeguarding of freedom of Navigation as the foundation of maritime governance international competition".

"While discussions are taking place on regional security and conflict resolution - concludes the letter - we must ensure that the rights of internationally recognized navigation are not compromised or used as part of more political negotiations wide. We are ready to collaborate with the International Maritime Organization and the United Nations as a whole to ensure whereas the established legal principles governing the straits protected by international law, in particular the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), are not weakened or modified".