International Maritime Organization: Escorting vessels through the Strait of Hormuz is not a sustainable solution.

　　Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, March 17 - The International Maritime Organization warns that sending warships to escort through the Strait of Hormuz is not a long-term solution and is unsustainable. Previously, the U.S. call to escort the Strait of Hormuz was met with a lukewarm response, and U.S. President Trump complained that allies were not "showing gratitude."

　　The Financial Times on the 17th quoted the International Maritime Organization Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez as saying that sending warships to escort cannot "100% ensure" the safety of ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, and risks still exist. Military assistance is "neither a long-term solution nor a sustainable approach."

　　Dominguez also expressed concern about the supply for crew stranded in the Gulf. The International Maritime Organization is scheduled to hold a special council meeting at its headquarters in London from the 18th to the 19th to discuss how to address the impact on regional shipping, especially in the Strait of Hormuz and its surrounding areas.

　　The International Maritime Organization is a specialized agency within the United Nations system responsible for maritime safety and preventing ships from causing marine pollution and its legal issues.

　　The Strait of Hormuz plays an important role in the global supply and transportation of oil and liquefied natural gas. According to estimates by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the daily transportation volume of crude oil and petroleum products through the Strait of Hormuz will be about 20 million barrels by 2025, with annual energy trade reaching nearly $600 billion. Since the U.S. and Israel's military strikes on Iran, the security of this strategic passage has dropped to freezing point.

　　On the evening of the 15th, Trump stated that the U.S. is discussing with other countries to jointly ensure the navigation safety of the Strait of Hormuz. However, according to U.S. media reports on the 16th, despite Trump's claim of receiving "some positive responses," no country has yet committed to sending warships to the Strait of Hormuz.

　　International Energy Agency Director Fatih Birol said on the 16th that the current supply loss has exceeded that of the 1973 oil crisis. Restoring normal shipping in the Strait of Hormuz is crucial for stabilizing the oil market. The International Energy Agency previously issued a statement saying that 32 member countries unanimously agreed to release 400 million barrels of strategic oil reserves to address the global oil supply tension caused by the U.S. and Israel's military strikes on Iran. (Chen Lixi)