UN maritime agency says it is working ‘tirelessly’ to solve Red Sea crisis

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is working “tirelessly” to solve the Red Sea crisis, which is severely disrupting the global transport of goods, its head Arsenio Dominguez tells AFP.

The Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have launched dozens of attacks against ships in the Red Sea since November, targeting boats it claims have ties to Israel as an act of “solidarity” with Palestinians amid Israel’s war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Despite retaliatory strikes by the US and UK, the rebel group is still launching attacks, firing at US ship Star Nasia and UK vessel Morning Tide last Tuesday.

The IMO, the United Nations agency responsible for security at sea, is working to ensure that “parties continue to talk so that the situation does not degenerate any further, and we can return to a safe maritime environment,” Panama-born Secretary General Dominguez says.

“We are working tirelessly to coordinate action that will lead to a resolution,” Dominguez adds from the IMO’s London headquarters.