International Chamber of Shipping: Shipping community calls on UN to urgently evacuate seafarers trapped in Ukrainian ports
The world’s leading maritime organisations and companies have released an open letter calling on United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to urgently prioritise the evacuation of 331 seafarers and 62 ships that remain trapped in Ukrainian ports.
The 34 signatories, including the International Chamber of Shipping, NKY Line, the Union of Greek Shipowners, Danish Shipping, and seafarer charities, called the situation an ‘unacceptable risk to life.’
In February 2022, 112 vessels crewed by more than 2,000 seafarers were berthed in Ukranian ports across the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. Since then, 1,700 have been safely evacuated and have been able to return to their families or return to their work of keeping global trade flowing.
The remaining 331 seafarers from countries such as Bangladesh, Philippines, Turkey, Syria, China, Egypt, Lebanon, Greece, Indonesia, Ghana, India, Azerbaijan and Georgia, remain to maintain the safety and protect against environmental harm. No other industry have non-combatants in the area over a year on from the start of the conflict, as they can only leave when the ships leave.
Some of the ports where these seafarers remain have resumed operability, facilitating the Black Sea Grain Initiative. Shipping has been integral in carrying out this UN-brokered humanitarian effort, with crews sailing along the borders of the conflict zone to ensure the world continues to receive vital grain deliveries. However, ships who are not able to transport grain are excluded and remain trapped.
Since the onset of the war, shipping companies, charities, and unions have continually called for the safe and immediate evacuation of the trapped seafarers. They have also worked in coordination with international organisations to facilitate the evacuation effort, supported the trapped seafarers’ families, and provided the seafarers with provisions including food, clean water, and medical supplies.
To mark the one-year anniversary of the war in Ukraine, the shipping community sent this open letter to UNSG Guterres, calling on him to use his diplomatic abilities to evacuate the remaining seafarers ships.
- ENDS -
Notes to editors:
About ICS
The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) is the principal international trade association for merchant shipowners and operators, representing all sectors and trades and over 80% of the world merchant fleet.
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230223005829/en/
Contact information
Katerina Dimitropoulos, Communications Manager, ICS
katerina.dimitropoulos@ics-shipping.org / +44 7494 363434
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Paysafe Research: First-Time and Casual Betting to Surge for 2026 World Cup14.1.2026 16:10:00 EET | Press release
19% of global consumers with an interest in following this summer’s 2026 World Cup plan to place their first ever online bet during the soccer tournament, according to research issued today by leading payments platform Paysafe (NYSE: PSFE). The company’s All the Ways Players Pay: World Cup 2026 report also indicates that brand reputation and offering flexible, reliable payments will be crucial for online sportsbooks when converting and retaining new and experienced bettors alike. With the World Cup returning to North America for the first time since 1994, there is strong appetite for online wagering in the host countries of the U.S., Mexico, and Canada as well as in Europe and Latin America, with 60% of global fans planning to bet. Across U.S. states where sports betting is legal, 62% intend to wager, with 29% placing their first ever bet. The surge is expected to be even stronger in Mexico, with 68% planning to wager, including 26% for the first time. And even in Canada, 46% of Ontari
Joint Cross-industry Statement: Cement Industry Co-Processing Should Be More Widely Adopted for Global Sustainable Waste Management14.1.2026 16:00:00 EET | Press release
Leading industry organisations today issued a joint statement highlighting the substantial and positive contribution the cement industry can make to addressing the urgent global challenge of non-recyclable and non-reusable waste. The Global Cement and Concrete Association – GCCA; European Composites Industry Association (EuCIA); International Solid Waste Association – Africa; Mission Possible Partnership; and The Global Waste-to-Energy Research and Technology Council – WtERT® are calling for stronger policy support to unlock the full potential of cement industry co-processing as a safe, effective and sustainable global waste management solution. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260114232332/en/ Co-processing enables both energy recovery and material recycling. It uses waste to replace fossil fuels in heating cement kilns, while any remaining ashes are simultaneously recycled into the building material compound
New Experian Study Reveals Critical Role of AI in Lending and Key Drivers of Accelerated Adoption by Financial Institutions14.1.2026 16:00:00 EET | Press release
A recent Experian Perceptions of AI Report that polled more than 200 decision-makers at leading financial institutions on their AI investment strategy offers key insights into their adoption of AI and expected outcomes when investing in the technology. Notably, AI adoption among financial institutions is accelerating, with 84% of respondents identifying AI technology as being critical or a high priority for their business strategy over the next two years. Further underscoring AI’s strategic importance, a striking 89% state that it will play a critical role across the lending lifecycle. Study findings shed light on that role, pointing to several essential outcomes that respondents expect when investing in AI, including increased operational efficiency, improved credit decisioning accuracy and more effective risk mitigation. “This study helps us better understand the business drivers behind the strong and increasingly fast-moving investments in AI among our financial institution customer
Prometheus Announces Breakthrough e-Kerosene Pathway to Make Cost-Competitive SAF and Diesel from Electricity and Air14.1.2026 15:57:00 EET | Press release
Prometheus Fuels today announced its revolutionary new pathway for producing synthetic paraffinic kerosene (the basis for SAF jet fuel and e-diesel) from direct air capture of CO2 and off-grid renewable electricity. The new Prometheus e-kerosene pathway makes Fischer-Tropsch synthesis obsolete, reducing the cost to make e-fuels by more than 80 percent compared to the century-old technology. It is also the first process in history to make kerosene from electricity and atmospheric CO2 without using hydrogen. The kerosene produced is 100 percent carbon neutral. Two independent engineering reviews confirmed demonstration of the new pathway using commercial-scale cells. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260114310118/en/ Because the Prometheus e-kerosene pathway operates at ambient temperatures and pressures, it uses much less expensive equipment than the high-temperature, high-pressure Fischer-Tropsch process. This i
Armis Launches New Partner Program, Expanding its Reach to Help Global Organizations Enhance Cyber Resilience14.1.2026 15:00:00 EET | Press release
Armis, the cyber exposure management & security company, today announced the launch of the Armis Select Partner Program. The new program marks a significant evolution in Armis' commitment to its global partner ecosystem. By extending the reach of Armis Centrix™, the Armis Cyber Exposure Management Platform, to organizations worldwide through its partner program, joint customers can streamline their security operations and proactively strengthen defenses. “Global enterprises don’t just need tools; they need a unified ecosystem of trusted partners to navigate an increasingly volatile threat landscape,” said Alex Mosher, President and CRO of Armis. “At Armis, our partners are the primary engine of our growth and the cornerstone of our global strategy. By evolving our partner program, we are doubling down on this collaborative foundation to accelerate our reach and deepen our impact. Together, we are empowering customers to move from reactive defense to proactive cyber exposure management
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom