“Maritime security is not just technical – it is deeply human.”
To combat the escalating challenges to international maritime security, International Maritime Organisation (IMO) secretary-general Arsenio Dominguez has urged member states and their international partners to exercise a more stringent collaboration and vigilance.
Dominguez stressed during his speech at the United Nations Security High Council high-level open debate on Monday that states have a duty to adhere to established international norms for maritime safety, security and environmental preservation.
According to Marine Link, he said: “Our collective response must be rooted in prevention, constant vigilance, innovation and continuously strengthened regional and international cooperation.”
Nearly 150 threats in 2024
Nearly 150 cases of armed robbery and piracy were reported to IMO in 2024, with the Straits of Malacca and Singapore, the Indian Ocean and West Africa accounting for the majority of these instances.
“When geopolitical tensions disrupt shipping and innocent seafarers lose their lives, as we have seen recently in the Red Sea Area and during 2024, the only way forward is constructive dialogue,” he said as he spoke about the threats that ships and seafarers face while transporting billions of tonnes of goods worldwide.
Ships were the subject of illegal attacks in the Red Sea that year, which went against both international law and the right to free navigation.
Dominguez then expressed his gratitude to the Security Council for resolutions that demanded an immediate cessation of attacks on international vessels and for ongoing situational monitoring.
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The 2004 ISPS Code
Consequently, the Organisation has created legally binding measures to address some of these issues.
This includes the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS Code) of 2004, the Suppression of Unlawful Acts at Sea (SUA) treaties that were revised in 2005 and the cybersecurity requirements within mandatory Safety Management Systems.
With a focus on co-operation and information exchange, capacity building initiatives support the strengthening of regional responses.
The Djibouti Code of Conduct and its Jeddah Amendment, the Yaoundé Code of Conduct among West and Central African countries and the Regional Co-operation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP) are some of its notable frameworks.
“Multilateralism is key here. Maritime security is a shared responsibility,” Dominguez stated.
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