The Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) is urging restraint and calling for protection of seafarers as tensions in the Black Sea remains escalated.

"As the situation continues to escalate in the Black Sea, I call on all parties to refrain from targeting innocent seafarers, port workers and merchant ships. Shipping should not be used as collateral in geopolitical situations and there is an increased environmental risk developing," said Arsenio Dominguez, secretary-general of IMO.

"I remain ready to support any negotiation efforts to allow international shipping trade to continue for the benefit of all," he added.

Global shipping lines have begun to test limited transits through the Red Sea after nearly two years of widespread rerouting prompted by Houthi attacks on commercial vessels.

Danish shipping giant A.P. Moller-Maersk, for example, has completed its first container ship passage through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait and the Red Sea since early 2024, marking a cautious step towards resuming navigation on the critical East-West corridor via the Suez Canal. 

Maersk Sebarok successfully sailed through the Bab al‑Mandab Strait and the Red Sea on Dec. 18–19.

The company emphasized that the move does not signal a full return to Suez Canal routings, citing ongoing security concerns and the need for "stepwise" evaluation before restoring regular East–West services.

The shift follows a pause in attacks announced by Yemen's Houthi movement amid a Gaza ceasefire, raising industry expectations of a gradual reopening of the corridor.

However, carriers remain cautious, with most networks still routed around the Cape of Good Hope as operators assess the durability of the security situation.