IMO Warns of Supply Chain Threats in the Red Sea

Moscow (ANTARA) - Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Arsenio Dominguez, said on Thursday that attacks on ships in the Red Sea endanger trade routes and the stability of supply chains.

On Wednesday, Yemen’s Ansar Allah movement, also known as the Houthis, said it had attacked two Saudi tanker ships with missiles and drones for violating its navigation ban in the Red Sea.

Earlier that day, the Saudi Public Transport Authority confirmed an attack on the tanker Encelia in the Red Sea, which resulted in a fire.

“The Red Sea is a critically important maritime corridor for international trade. Continued attacks on ships in this region risk escalating tensions, further disrupting trade routes, and undermining the principle of freedom of navigation,” Dominguez said, as quoted by the IMO press service.

He called for de-escalation, saying the attacks threaten the lives of seafarers, the safety of international shipping, the marine environment, and the stability of global supply chains.

Dominguez also expressed concern over the potential environmental pollution caused by the incidents.