The joint submission was formally submitted during the 138th session of the IMO Council held at the London headquarters from November 2 to 6, 2026. Signatories include Ukraine, 34 countries, and the European Commission. The document expresses serious concern over the frequency, geographic scope, and consequences of attacks on vessels, ports, and critical maritime safety services, arguing that even without an official closure of the shipping corridor, repeated attacks are increasingly undermining the safety and predictability of commercial navigation.
According to data provided by Ukrainian authorities, the scale of attacks is alarming. In July 2026 alone, 37 vessels were affected by Russian attacks, resulting in 23 seafarer deaths and 12 injuries. Of these, 19 vessels were engaged in trade to or from the ports of Odesa, Chornomorsk, and Pivdennyi. As of early August, Ukrainian authorities had recorded 67 attacks on port facilities, 35 attacks on civilian vessels in port areas, and 22 attacks on vessels within the special maritime corridor. Search and rescue units, pilotage services, vessel traffic services, and navigational aids have all been affected, with Ukrainian lighthouses struck three times in June and five times in July, and one maritime pilot killed onboard a vessel.
The document particularly emphasizes the cumulative effects of these attacks. The signatory countries warn that persistent and widespread attacks could make the corridor "operationally unavailable" to shipowners, charterers, insurers, and masters—even without a formal navigational prohibition. This would severely impact international supply chains and global food security, as alternative transport routes cannot readily absorb the same volume of cargo. According to Ukrainian government statistics, from the corridor's establishment in August 2023 through late July 2026, Greater Odesa ports handled 209.3 million tons of cargo, including 124.1 million tons of grain, facilitating the passage of 8,222 vessels.
The specific demands put forward by the signatory countries include: the IMO Council condemning the attacks, reaffirming the importance of freedom of navigation in the Black Sea, and demanding an immediate cessation of actions obstructing Ukraine's maritime corridor; requesting the IMO Secretary-General to continuously monitor the maritime security situation in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov and strengthen information sharing among flag states, the IMO Secretariat, and Ukraine; and calling for coordinated incident reporting, establishment of a regularly updated IMO record, and continued review by the Council until safe and predictable navigation is ensured.
In parallel with this joint submission, Ukrainian Minister of Infrastructure Mykola Kalashnyk sent a formal complaint letter to the IMO on November 2, calling on member states to initiate the development of a new legally binding international instrument to ensure freedom of navigation and protect merchant vessels and seafarers in times of war. The letter describes Russia's actions as a "campaign of intimidation against seafarers, shipowners, charterers, and insurers," aimed at driving commercial shipping away from routes that sustain Ukraine's maritime connections. The Ukrainian side warns: "Impunity for such actions sets a dangerous precedent, encouraging other state and non-state actors to use violence against commercial shipping as a means to pursue political and economic objectives".
The timing of this joint action is noteworthy. IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez, in his opening address to the Council, noted that commercial shipping in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov continues to be exposed to attacks, and seafarers continue to pay the price. However, Russia has also submitted a competing document accusing the IMO of "politicization" and blaming Ukraine for attacking civilian vessels and port infrastructure. Against this backdrop, the joint submission by Ukraine and 34 countries represents an effort to solidify international consensus and push the IMO to translate prior resolutions into more concrete supervisory and response measures.
For global shipping and the Indian maritime community, the outcome of this Council session will send a signal about the international community's willingness and capacity to protect commercial shipping during conflict. If the IMO can only issue condemnations without binding force, the risk premium for Black Sea routes may remain elevated, further pushing up global grain and energy transport costs. Conversely, if the Council reaches a consensus on enhanced monitoring and information sharing mechanisms, it could provide shipowners and insurers with a more predictable risk assessment framework.