The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), together with major global maritime organisations including the Asian Shipowners' Association (ASA), BIMCO , @CLIA, European Shipowners | ECSA, INTERCARGO, INTERTANKO and the World Shipping Council (WSC), has issued a joint open letter to the United Nations and the International Maritime Organization (IMO), urging that no compulsory tolls or charges be introduced in the Strait of Hormuz.

The organisations stressed that freedom of navigation and safe, predictable access to international waterways are fundamental to global trade, energy security and resilient supply chains.

With seafarers already operating in an environment of heightened uncertainty due to regional tensions, the shipping community highlighted that any measures creating additional barriers or costs for commercial vessels could further impact global maritime operations.

The joint letter called for the protection of internationally recognised navigation rights under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and urged that established legal principles governing international straits should not be weakened or altered.

The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most strategically important maritime chokepoints, handling a significant share of global energy flows. Any changes to its operating environment will continue to be closely watched by shipowners, charterers and energy markets worldwide.