On 6 July 2026, the 137th session of the IMO Council (C 137) opened at IMO Headquarters in London, running from 6 to 10 July 2026, with the agenda covering strategy and planning, resource and financial management, the reports of the IMO Committees (MSC, MEPC, LEG, FAL and TC), the IMO Awards, and the vital shipping lanes.
In his opening address, IMO Secretary General, Mr. Arsenio Dominguez, reflected on the human cost to the maritime sector of the tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, stating that "seafarers have tragically lost their lives in connection with this conflict." He flagged the growing threat of piracy and armed robbery against ships off Somalia and Yemen and in the Gulf of Aden, noting that "in the past three months we have seen 24 incidents of piracy and attempted piracy in that region," and reiterated concern for the seafarers held captive aboard the vessels MT Honour 25, Eureka and Sward.
The Secretary General announced that both the 2012 Cape Town Agreement and the 2010 HNS Protocol have met the requirements for entry into force, and said the Council would consider a proposed resolution on the protection of vital shipping lanes, reaffirming navigational rights and freedoms for commercial ships transiting straits used for international navigation.
During the session, Iran strongly condemned US military attacks on its ports and maritime infrastructure, describing the attacks as a clear violation of international law and a direct threat to the lives of sailors, commercial shipping, and the marine environment, The Iranian delegation declared that Iran remains fully committed to the safe and orderly conduct of maritime navigation, emphasizing that it will firmly safeguard its sovereignty, security, sovereign rights, and legitimate interests against any attempts to distort the legal and objective realities of the region.”
Furthermore, Oman reaffirmed its commitment to freedom of maritime navigation in accordance with the principles of international law. In a statement delivered at the meeting, Khamis bin Mohammed Al Shamakhi, Undersecretary of Transport at the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, reaffirmed Oman’s commitment to the security and safety of international sea lanes, the protection of lives and the uninterrupted flow of global trade.
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