<p data-path-to-node="2"><b data-path-to-node="2" data-index-in-node="0">LONDON</b> — The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has issued a formal and stern condemnation regarding the recent surge in geopolitical attacks targeting civilian merchant vessels operating within the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. In a communique released following the conclusion of the 137th IMO Council session, the organization expressed grave concern over the renewed hostilities that threaten the safety of navigation and the lives of seafarers.</p><p data-path-to-node="3">Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez characterized these acts as "unwarranted attacks" resulting from ongoing regional geopolitical tensions. The IMO reaffirmed its position that commercial shipping must remain protected from military conflict, emphasizing that seafarers are civilians who should never be treated as casualties or pawns in geopolitical disputes.</p><p data-path-to-node="4">The resolution highlighted that such attacks not only endanger human life but also severely disrupt vital global supply chains, particularly impacting agricultural and energy exports that rely on the Black Sea corridors. The IMO is calling on all parties involved in the regional conflict to strictly adhere to international maritime law and ensure that transit corridors remain open and safe for merchant fleets. Security analysts note that this condemnation serves as a critical diplomatic measure intended to re-establish the immunity of commercial maritime traffic, which has been increasingly jeopardized by drone strikes and escalated military posturing in the region.</p>