United Nations: India and Liberia have launched a new international initiative to strengthen the safety of commercial shipping and seafarers amid growing attacks on civilian vessels, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said at the UN General Assembly.
Speaking at the first meeting of the ‘Group of Friends on Safety and Security of Shipping and Seafarers’, Jaishankar highlighted recent attacks in the Gulf of Oman, Strait of Hormuz and Black Sea that resulted in the deaths or disappearance of Indian crew members.
He said attacks on commercial vessels from the Black Sea to the Red Sea and Gulf region were becoming a serious concern, disrupting maritime trade and putting civilian lives at risk.
Jaishankar noted that international trade worth more than $140 billion takes place each day, with oceans carrying over 80 per cent of global trade. Nearly two million seafarers work aboard merchant vessels worldwide.
The new group brings together major ship-owning nations, countries with large shipping registries and nations that provide significant numbers of seafarers. India is a major source of maritime workers, while Liberia has the world’s largest shipping registry.
Jaishankar also highlighted India’s proposal for a seafarers’ emergency support network, aimed at facilitating distress alerts, medical assistance, family communication and evacuations during emergencies.
He said the new forum would strengthen international cooperation on protecting ships and the people working aboard them.