International Maritime Organization

March 25, 2026 9:50 AM

Iran tells UN: ‘non-hostile’ ships can transit Strait of Hormuz

Iran has told the United Nations Security Council and the International Maritime Organization that "non-hostile vessels" may transit the Strait of Hormuz if they coordinate with Iranian authorities, according to a note seen by Reuters on Tuesday. The U.S.-Israeli war against Iran has all but halted shipments of about one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas through the strait, causing oil supply disruption. The note from Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs was sent to the 15-membe...

March 11, 2026 1:39 PM

Hormuz disruption threatens global oil supplies

The Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy routes, is facing severe disruption as tensions escalate in West Asia. The narrow waterway lies between Iran to the north and the Musandam Peninsula to the south, a territory shared by Oman and the United Arab Emirates. Stretching about 178 kilometres in length and narrowing to roughly 39 kilometres at its tightest point, the strait carries around 20 million barrels of oil each day under normal conditions. That accounts for nearly o...

October 17, 2025 4:53 PM

US, Singapore call on UN to delay carbon shipping price vote amid splits

The United States, Singapore, Liberia and Saudi Arabia on Friday called on the U.N. shipping agency to postpone adoption of a carbon price on ships, as states failed to find consensus during talks in London this week. The U.S. and Saudi Arabia have strongly opposed a carbon price on shipping during talks at the International Maritime Organization agency, while the European Union has continued to support the idea. U.S. President Donald Trump called on IMO member states on Thursday to vote no, s...

October 13, 2025 4:53 PM

UN shipping emissions deal to pit US against EU-led bloc

The International Maritime Organization will meet this week to formally decide whether to impose a carbon emissions price on global shipping, a move supported by an EU-led bloc including Britain, China and Japan but strongly opposed by the U.S. The IMO struck a preliminary deal to charge the global shipping industry for emissions in April after the U.S. pulled out of associated talks, prompting Washington to threaten "reciprocal measures" against any fees charged on U.S. ships. The April deal ...