IMO chief stresses need for dialogue to resolve Red Sea crisis

The International Maritime Organization (IMO), is working "tirelessly" to return to a safe maritime environment and solve the Red Sea crisis, which is severely disrupting the global transport of goods, its head Arsenio Dominguez said.

The region is crucial for the global transport of goods, with around 12 percent of global maritime trade normally passing through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which controls access to the southern Red Sea. Yemen's Huthi rebels have launched dozens of attacks against ships in the Red Sea since November, targeting boats headed for Israel with inhabitants of the Gaza Strip, which is in the grip of the war between Israel and Hamas. 

Many ship-owners have decided to stop operating in the Red Sea, instead sending their ships on the longer route around the south of Africa. The IMO head Arsenio Dominguez admitted that it ws not the ideal solution yet which increases the cost of transport, and ultimately the price of cargo.