Shipping companies ask the UN for help in the escalation of the Middle East conflict

He kidnapping by Iranian forces of a Portuguese flagged container ship as it left the Persian Gulf has led world shipping companies to demand that the United Nations increased military protectionas shippers have been forced to take long detours to maintain European trade flows amid intensifying conflict in the region.

The hijacking of the MSC Aries by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday morning, April 13, increased unrest in a maritime sector that finds itself in the crossfire of hostilities in the Middle East, and led to the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs to summon Tehran's ambassador three days later to demand the release of the ship and its crew.

“We have witnessed a worrying increase in attacks against transport “maritime”, reads the letter addressed to the Secretary General of the UN, António Guterres, made public today (April 19) and signed by the World Maritime Transport Council, based in the United Kingdom, the Association of Shipowners of the European Community (ECSA) and more than a dozen industry groups.

“The world would be outraged if four airliners were hijacked and held hostage with innocent souls on board,” the letter continued. “Unfortunately, there does not appear to be the same response or concern for the four commercial vessels and their crews who are being held as hostages“, he states in reference to other ships seized by Iran in recent months.

The ECSA told 'Euronews' that the escalation of the conflict in the region had already caused some increase in shipping costs and endangered European trade flows.

“The situation in the region continues to endanger our seafarers and increasingly affects the supply chain and to Europe's overall economic security,” said Secretary-General Sotiris Raptis. “It is essential to safeguard the safety and well-being of our seafarers and to protect key shipping routes and the international principle of freedom of navigation,” he added.

ECSA welcomed the decision in February to deploy the EU naval force to the region in an operation called Aspides, following several months in which Yemeni Houthi rebels attacked ships in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea. “We continue to encourage all coordinated efforts, including diplomatic efforts, that can contribute to de-escalating the crisis in the area,” Raptis stated.

Israeli military attacks inside Iran have further increased tension in the region, and Tehran's recent maneuvers have stoked fears that the Strait of Hormuz, the gateway to the oil-rich Persian Gulf, will become a hotspot. of chokehold for global oil supplywith possible repercussions on the economy in general.

According to analysts at ING Global Markets Research, in a note published on April 18, this unique connection between the Persian Gulf and global trade routes passes daily some 20 million barrels, that is, approximately one fifth of the world's oil supply. “The tensions have already been reflected in somewhat higher oil prices, with a large risk premium already discounted before last weekend,” the ING note stated. “This could easily lead to supply concerns if the situation escalates.”

In an advisory note issued on April 19, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) warned ships crossing the Arabian Gulf and western Indian Ocean of a possible increase in drone sightings, or drones, although he said there did not appear to be an imminent threat. “There is currently no indication that commercial maritime vessels are the intended target,” said the UKMTO, a global shipping information service run by the Royal Navy, while calling on captains to report any “suspicious activity.” “.

For some shippers, however, the impact of the latest developments appears limited by the fact that much of the trade flow between Asia and Europe has already been diverted away from the Red Sea and the Suez Canal. Maerska Danish container shipping company that competes with the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) for the title of the world's largest shipping company, stopped using the shortest route to the EU market on January 2, three days after the Houthi forces attacked the container ship Maersk Hangzhou, prompting the intervention of the US Army.

“It is a longer trip, so more fuel and more ships are needed to maintain weekly departures,” Maersk spokesperson Rainer Horn explained to 'Euronews' about the company's decision to divert ships around Cape Town. Good Hope. But the impact on trade “is not comparable to what we saw during the coronavirus pandemic…it's just a point where you can't navigate.”

He increased transportation costs It is usually negligible for customers who use containers to ship their products to Europe, according to Horn. “If you have 30,000 t-shirts in a 40-foot container and you pay $200 more (about €187), that's a few cents,” says Horn. “The good thing about container shipping is that the impact of transportation costs is minimal on the product.”