The UN International Maritime Organization (IMO) has informed UN News that “very few ships, if any” are currently navigating the Strait of Hormuz following renewed attacks on vessels since hostilities resumed on 12-13 July 2026. IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez expressed deep concern for approximately 6,000 seafarers trapped on around 500 ships moored in the Persian Gulf behind the strait.

“We need to remember that these are innocent people who are trained to do the work, that they are not trained for combat, and the vessels are not prepared to defend themselves against missiles and drones,” Dominguez said. He emphasized the critical role seafarers play in global trade, noting that without them, “shipping will not operate” and 90 percent of goods transported by ships would fail to reach their destinations, impacting everyone worldwide.

Dominguez also warned that global shipping has been “taken to the limit” in recent years, citing disruptions in the Black Sea caused by Russia’s full-scale attack on Ukraine and instability in the Red Sea, where Houthi separatists in Yemen have claimed responsibility for attacks on two Saudi oil tankers and the closure of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, effectively blocking shipping to and from the Suez Canal.

In a joint message, ten independent experts appointed by the Human Rights Council highlighted reports of strikes on civilian infrastructure in Iran, including ports in the south and power outages in the southern city of Chabahar. “Projectiles” reportedly landed near Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant, damaging railway lines such as the Agh Tekkeh Khan bridge and striking a desalination plant, which left 10,000 people without water.

Further reported strikes include Semnan Airport, a wheat silo, a bottled water factory, and areas adjacent to a children's cancer hospital in Ahvaz, forcing the evacuation of patients.

Despite these challenges, the agency noted a 10.5 percent increase in services traded over the same period, adding around $2 trillion to the overall value of global commerce and putting it on course for record returns by the end of the year.

Sources