International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General Kitack Lim in reaction to the Russia-Ukraine conflict issued the following statement on February 26th:
“As the humanitarian crisis continues to unfold in Ukraine, I fully support and stand with UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ call for hostilities to cease immediately.
“I am gravely concerned about the spill over effects of the military action in Ukraine on global shipping, and logistics and supply chains, in particular the impacts on the delivery of commodities and food to developing nations and the impacts on energy supplies.
“Along with the people of Ukraine, innocent ships, seafarers and port workers engaged in legitimate trade should not be adversely impacted by this growing crisis.
“Shipping, particularly seafarers, cannot be collateral victims in a larger political and military crisis – they must be safe and secure.”
