Two Cargo Ships Seized, World Shipping Organisation Condemns Iran and US
A leading shipping organisation has condemned the mutual seizure of commercial ships by the United States (US) and Iran, calling for the immediate release of their crews.
In an interview with Al Jazeera, John Stawpert, maritime director of the International Chamber of Shipping, stated that seafarers should be allowed to carry out their activities “freely and without persecution”.
Stawpert, whose organisation is the leading trade association for shipowners and operators worldwide, described the seizure of the vessels as an affront to freedom of navigation as guaranteed under international law.
“What these people are doing is simply transporting goods. And really, we cannot allow a situation where ships are seized, ultimately for political purposes, to make a political point,” said Stawpert, whose organisation represents about 80 percent of the global merchant fleet, citing Al Jazeera on Sunday (27/6/2026).
“They are innocent seafarers and they must be allowed to carry out their duties without fear, essentially, of detention,” he added.
No Legal Basis
Stawpert said that Iran’s desire to impose toll fees in the Strait of Hormuz has no basis in international law and would create a dangerous precedent.
“If it can be done in the Strait of Hormuz, why not in the Strait of Gibraltar, for example, or the Malacca Strait?” he asked.
Stawpert also said that the sea blockade imposed by US President Donald Trump on Iranian ports has added uncertainty for shipping companies already shaken by Iran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
“We don’t know what conditions apply. We don’t know what Iran’s actual targeting criteria are,” said Stawpert. “And then there are other countries getting involved, effectively doing the same through blockades of those straits.”
The US and Iranian militaries have each announced the seizure of two commercial ships over the past week, while Washington and Tehran continue to confront each other in the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waters.
The US Department of Defense on Thursday said it had seized the Iran-linked Majestic X while transporting sanctioned oil in the Indian Ocean, days after announcing the seizure of another vessel, Tifani.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on Wednesday said it had seized the Panamanian-flagged MSC Francesca and the Greek-owned Epaminondas for “operating without the necessary permits and damaging the navigation system”.
The Philippine Department of Migrant Workers on Wednesday confirmed that there were 15 Filipino crew members on both ships.
Officials said they had received assurances from Iranian authorities that all crew members were “safe” and “secure.”