Hormuz: Confitarma says no to any form of toll

Confitarma has expressed its “firm and unanimous opposition to any form of toll in the Strait of Hormuz”. The position of the Shipowners’ Confederation was strongly emphasised during the General Council meeting and the private assembly, which were held in Naples at the Grimaldi Group’s headquarters. ‘The right of passage for ships transiting through international straits,’ said the association’s president, Mario Zanetti, ‘must be unrestricted and cannot be subject to limitations or tolls, whether explicit or disguised. We reaffirm the fundamental principle of freedom of navigation, on which our country’s energy supplies, international trade and competitiveness depend.”

In this regard, during the board meeting, attention was drawn to the fact that the payment by shipowners of a toll or for any service to a sanctioned state, such as Iran at present, could constitute a breach of the EU sanctions regime and therefore also result in breaches of the contractual clauses of existing bank loans.

“We are closely monitoring,” added Zanetti, “the ongoing diplomatic developments, but at present the situation calls for caution and the utmost vigilance, particularly with regard to the 20,000 seafarers still affected, who are our priority. We naturally hope for the swiftest possible resolution of the crisis and for the resumption of safe navigation through the Strait to be expedited; if necessary, this will be achieved with the invaluable contribution of our Navy, alongside other national navies.”

The issue of the Strait was also discussed at a meeting at the Farnesina between the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, and the trade associations. Speaking on behalf of Assarmatori was its president, Stefano Messina, who, in response to those who had highlighted the rise in sea freight rates recorded in recent months, pointed out that the increase in freight rates was the result of a more general rise in the costs incurred by shipping companies.

“In particular,” said Messina, “there has been an increase in the costs of fuel, insurance cover and supplementary land-based logistics, which are necessary to bypass conflict zones or areas subject to traffic restrictions. In the absence of compensatory measures, these increased costs are bound to be reflected in the overall cost of transport and, consequently, passed on to the end user and reflected in the price of goods.” Messina therefore thanked the Ministry, the diplomatic network of embassies and the export support agencies for the assistance and solidarity shown to the defence sector ‘in such a difficult context’.