Shipping groups urge UN to oppose tolls in Strait of Hormuz

Eight major international shipping associations have urged the UN to oppose the introduction of compulsory tolls or service charges for vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

In a joint open letter addressed to UN chief Antonio Guterres and International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez, the groups warned that such fees would undermine freedom of navigation and damage the global economy.

The letter was sent Monday and published Wednesday by the International Chamber of Shipping.

“Introducing compulsory charges for transit, or service fees that are a toll in all but name, through the Strait of Hormuz would represent a significant departure from established international practice,” the letter said.

The associations warned that allowing such charges could create a precedent for similar measures in other international waterways and weaken the internationally recognized legal framework governing transit passage.

Additional maritime transportation costs would spread through international supply chains, contributing to higher shipping and energy prices, inflation, and economic uncertainty, they added.

The signatories were the Asian Shipowners’ Association, BIMCO (Baltic and International Maritime Council), Cruise Lines International Association, European Shipowners, International Chamber of Shipping, INTERCARGO (International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners), INTERTANKO (International Association of Independent Tanker Owners), and the World Shipping Council.

The groups also emphasized that seafarer safety and freedom of navigation should not be compromised during negotiations over regional security and conflict resolution.

The letter came after Iran and Oman reached a preliminary understanding on Wednesday on nearly all issues regarding future arrangements for the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said a final understanding is “on the verge of being finalized."

Their understanding includes the location of entry and exit routes for maritime traffic, Gharibabadi said in remarks carried by Iran's state-run news agency IRNA. He added, however, that "this understanding does not mean the complete opening of the Strait of Hormuz."

It represents "rather a new and different model from the past 60-year practice," he said.

The IMO Council said in July that passage through the Strait of Hormuz should remain free of tolls and charges under international law.

It also stressed that any arrangement between regional coastal states must guarantee the non-discriminatory and unimpeded transit of all ships through the internationally recognized traffic separation scheme.

The Strait of Hormuz is a critical maritime passage connecting the Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and global markets, making disruptions to commercial traffic a major risk for international energy supplies and trade.