Singapore-led resolution on protecting vital shipping lanes adopted by International Maritime Organization

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has adopted a resolution, spearheaded by Singapore, that reaffirms the critical importance of protecting vital shipping lanes and upholding navigational rights for commercial vessels. This move comes amid heightened global attention on the security of key maritime routes.

The resolution was approved during the 137th session of the IMO Council and was co-sponsored by 30 member states, including Indonesia and Malaysia. It strongly reaffirms the necessity of respecting navigational rights and freedoms for commercial ships transiting through essential shipping lanes, such as straits used for international navigation, in full compliance with international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

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It underscores the importance of international cooperation, dialogue and collective responsibility in keeping vital sea lanes open, secure and accessible.

Furthermore, the resolution reiterates the significance of adhering to regulations and standards established by the IMO. It highlights the organization's pivotal role in fostering a stable, predictable, and rules-based maritime order. The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) noted that the resolution underscores the importance of international cooperation, dialogue, and collective responsibility in ensuring that vital sea lanes remain open, secure, and accessible.

Singapore, an open and trade-dependent economy, views the resolution as a reflection of its long-standing commitment to upholding international law and maintaining a stable maritime environment. The MPA added that the resolution also emphasizes the need to protect the health, safety, and well-being of seafarers, who are indispensable to global supply chains. This initiative aims to ensure uninterrupted global trade, resilient supply chains, and security in food and energy supplies.

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As an open and trade-dependent economy, Singapore supports a stable, rules-based international order to ensure uninterrupted global trade, resilient supply chains and food and energy security.