VESPUCCI Maritime CEO Lars Jensen stresses the imperative for the shipping industry to leverage all available avenues to exert political pressure and address the precarious security situation in the Middle East, reports New York's Journal of Commerce.
In a unified effort, 16 maritime organisations have jointly penned an open letter to Antonio Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
The letter illuminates the plight of detained seafarers, particularly in connection with the MSC Aries, and underscores the broader safety concerns seafarers face amid ongoing conflicts.
The open letter unequivocally condemns both the unlawful detention of seafarers and the targeting of merchant vessels with missiles and drones, and emphasizes the unacceptable nature of these actions.
The letter aptly notes that seafarers have played an indispensable role in sustaining global supply chains, delivering vital goods such as medicine, food and fuel, irrespective of political circumstances.
This significance transcends beyond the pandemic, with maritime trade being a cornerstone of global commerce, contributing significantly to poverty alleviation worldwide.
Despite these undeniable contributions, the need for such an open letter underscores the stark realities of the current global landscape, where improvements are not necessarily forthcoming.
While the letter asserts the neutrality of seafarers and the maritime sector, emphasising their non-politicisation, the historical context reveals the longstanding politicisation of shipping.
Throughout centuries, the movement of cargo has been wielded as a political tool integral to national security strategies.
Though idealistic, the aspiration for depoliticisation remains overshadowed by the enduring reality of shipping's historical entanglement with politics.
SeaNews Turkey
In a unified effort, 16 maritime organisations have jointly penned an open letter to Antonio Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
The letter illuminates the plight of detained seafarers, particularly in connection with the MSC Aries, and underscores the broader safety concerns seafarers face amid ongoing conflicts.
The open letter unequivocally condemns both the unlawful detention of seafarers and the targeting of merchant vessels with missiles and drones, and emphasizes the unacceptable nature of these actions.
The letter aptly notes that seafarers have played an indispensable role in sustaining global supply chains, delivering vital goods such as medicine, food and fuel, irrespective of political circumstances.
This significance transcends beyond the pandemic, with maritime trade being a cornerstone of global commerce, contributing significantly to poverty alleviation worldwide.
Despite these undeniable contributions, the need for such an open letter underscores the stark realities of the current global landscape, where improvements are not necessarily forthcoming.
While the letter asserts the neutrality of seafarers and the maritime sector, emphasising their non-politicisation, the historical context reveals the longstanding politicisation of shipping.
Throughout centuries, the movement of cargo has been wielded as a political tool integral to national security strategies.
Though idealistic, the aspiration for depoliticisation remains overshadowed by the enduring reality of shipping's historical entanglement with politics.
SeaNews Turkey