Global Shipping Body Condemns U.S.–Iran Maritime Escalation in Strait of Hormuz

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has issued a forceful condemnation of escalating maritime confrontations between the United States and Iran, warning that the ongoing cycle of vessel seizures in and around the Strait of Hormuz represents a serious breach of international law and threatens the principle of freedom of navigation.

In a statement released Saturday, the ICS described the situation as a dangerous “tit-for-tat” escalation, with both nations targeting commercial vessels under disputed legal justifications. The organization stressed that the crisis is placing innocent seafarers at risk while destabilizing critical global trade routes.

Over the past week, both Washington and Tehran have intercepted high-value commercial vessels, citing differing legal grounds. Iranian forces, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, seized the MSC Francesca, a Panama-flagged, Greek-owned vessel, in the Strait of Hormuz, alleging permit violations and navigation system tampering. A second vessel, Epaminondas, flying a Liberian flag, was detained near Oman for reportedly ignoring warnings and entering a restricted waterway.

Meanwhile, U.S. forces have seized vessels in the Indian Ocean, including the Majestic X, described as stateless and accused of smuggling sanctioned Iranian crude oil. Another vessel, Tifani, was also detained under claims of violating U.S.-enforced maritime restrictions tied to its blockade policy.

The ICS highlighted the growing humanitarian dimension of the crisis. According to Secretary General John Stawpert, crews aboard detained vessels remain physically unharmed but face mounting psychological stress due to prolonged confinement.

Governments in the Philippines and Montenegro have confirmed that at least 19 of their nationals—15 Filipino and 4 Montenegrin seafarers—are among those currently held by Iranian authorities.

Beyond the seized ships, the ICS estimates that roughly 20,000 seafarers are effectively stranded across approximately 500 vessels unable to safely transit the Strait. Many have remained in place for up to seven weeks, a situation Stawpert likened to “house arrest at sea.”

Maritime experts and the ICS argue that several actions taken by both parties raise significant legal concerns under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Iran’s proposal to impose transit fees on vessels passing through the Strait has been widely rejected by shipping bodies as lacking any legal foundation under international maritime law. The ICS warned that such a precedent, if normalized, could lead to similar toll regimes in other strategic chokepoints, including the Straits of Malacca and Gibraltar.

At the same time, the ICS criticized the United States for what it described as ambiguous enforcement of its maritime blockade. The absence of clearly defined targeting criteria, it said, exposes neutral commercial shipping to heightened risk.

Data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the PortWatch platform indicate a dramatic collapse in maritime traffic through the Strait. Daily vessel transits have fallen by more than 90%, from pre-crisis averages of approximately 129 ships per day to as few as five in recent 24-hour periods.

The disruption has triggered sharp increases in global energy prices, particularly jet fuel and crude oil, as an estimated 20% of the world’s oil supply faces delays or remains effectively trapped in the region.

The U.S. seizure of vessels such as the Majestic X also signals an intensified crackdown on the so-called “shadow fleet”—aging tankers used by sanctioned states, including Iran and Russia, to bypass international restrictions.

The ICS concluded that the geopolitical objectives of both nations do not justify the detention of civilian maritime personnel or the obstruction of lawful commercial navigation.

It called for an immediate restoration of “innocent passage” rights, a cornerstone of international maritime law, and urged all parties to de-escalate tensions before further damage is done to global trade and maritime safety.

“The current trajectory,” the organization warned, “poses unacceptable risks not only to seafarers but to the stability of the global economy.”

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