INTERCARGO urges stronger protection for seafarers as attacks on merchant ships rise

The International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners (INTERCARGO) has called on governments, international organisations and parties to armed conflicts to provide immediate protection for civilian merchant vessels and their crews. The association warned of a "noticeable shift towards the direct targeting of commercial shipping" and cited recent attacks in the Black Sea, including missile strikes near Odesa that killed ten people and repeated drone and missile attacks on the MV Amir1, which was carrying Indian seafarers.

INTERCARGO urged the International Maritime Organization and other bodies to enforce existing protections for non‑military vessels, stressing that seafarers are civilians essential to global trade and should not be treated as military targets. The appeal highlights the broader risk to global food, fertilizer and goods supply chains if merchant shipping remains vulnerable.