16 April 2024 - The Chairman of the International Chamber of Shipping, Emanuele Grimaldi, attended a high-level meeting with the G7 Transport Ministers in the morning of Saturday 13 April 2024, in Milan. Mr Grimaldi was invited to the working session on global maritime connectivity in the short, medium and long term.
During the session the G7 Transport Ministers, with Mr
Grimaldi and Cruise Line International Association (CLIA) European Chairman
Pierfrancesco Vago, discussed the key issues currently being faced within the
maritime sector such as the conflict in the Middle East, and the conflict in
Ukraine. They also discussed the industry’s energy transition, as well as the
importance of free trade and maritime connectivity.
Commenting on the sector’s security concerns ICS
Chairman, Mr Grimaldi, said:
“What is at the heart of ICS is our seafarers and we must
ensure that they are not caught up in the crosshairs of any conflicts such as
what we are tragically seeing in the Red Sea at the moment. The terrible loss
of life of three seafarers following the missile strike against the vessel True
Confidence made our greatest fears a reality. This is unacceptable and these
intolerable acts of aggression against innocent seafarers and merchant ships
are in contravention of international law”.
During the meeting Mr. Grimaldi also highlighted the
plight of the seafarers of roll-on/roll-off vehicle carrier Galaxy Leader who
continue to be held hostage under the Houthis.
“Please let us not forget that the 25 crew members of the
merchant vessel Galaxy Leader are still being held hostage, for nearly five
months now. This is unacceptable, and their urgent release is a paramount
concern for the International Chamber of Shipping and the industry as a whole.
We applaud the G7 Transport Ministers who condemned these attacks against
merchant shipping in a declaration issued on the 20 February, underscoring the
importance of the safety and security of seafarers and vessels.”
Mr Grimaldi added:
“It is an honour to have participated in this meeting and
to work with the G7 Transport Ministers on the key challenges our sector faces.
Our industry is global, and we must work collaboratively and transparently to
ensure that it remains resilient and robust. It is fair to say we are living in
challenging times, with many Black Swan events and times of conflict testing us
but together we can meet these challenges head on.”
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