The Board of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has expressed concern at the serious incidents involving the Marshall Islands flagged ship Front Altair and the Panama flagged Kokuka Courageous, in the Gulf of Oman. Addressing the issue at the ICS Annual General Meeting in the Faroe Islands, the Board has expressed the international shipping industry's alarm at recent incidents in the region affecting ships and their crews.  

"This suspected attack is a deeply worrying and intolerable situation. We await further clarification and information as to what has happened but we are relieved that there appears to have been no loss of life and that the crews are reportedly safe, " said Guy Platten, ICS Secretary General. "This is the second incident in one month and the shipping industry, and most importantly the crews,  must not be exposed to such risks."

"The Straits of Hormuz are crucial for the world economy, and any deliberate attempts to threaten traffic through them are to be condemned in the strongest terms," added Mr Platten. "The situation continues to develop and we will scrutinize it closely, providing assistance to the industry to safeguard world trade and, most importantly, the lives of the men and women whose daily task it is to ensure its continued flow."

Issued by Elaborate Communications