In response to the news about the conditional ceasefire between the United States and Iran, ICS Secretary General Thomas A. Kazakos issued the following statement: 'We welcome the conditional ceasefire between the United States and Iran, and hope that it signals the beginning of a return to stability in the region. He added, 'This news will come as a relief to the 20,000 seafarers who have been at the forefront of this crisis.' Our thoughts remain with the civilians and seafarers who have already been injured or, sadly, lost their lives."
In his statement, Kazakos emphasised that an immediate return to freedom of navigation is essential and that states should collaborate with the shipping industry to ensure orderly and unimpeded transit through the Strait. This will require coordination between the shipping industry and nation-states from inside and outside the Gulf region, and the ICS is willing to assist in any way it can
Related : ICS Statement following the conclusion of the 36th Extraordinary Session of the IMO Council
It is noteworthy that President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that he had agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran. This was conditional on the "complete, immediate and safe opening of the Strait of Hormuz". He stated that this decision followed conversations with Pakistani leaders, noting that they had already met and exceeded all military objectives and were very close to reaching a definitive agreement on long-term peace with Iran.
Currently, more than 800 vessels are trapped in the Persian Gulf. These include 426 tankers carrying crude oil and refined products, 34 liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carriers, 19 liquefied natural gas (LNG) vessels, and numerous dry bulk and container ships. Even if the strait reopens, logistical realities mean that movement will not resume instantly due to insurance risk, crew fatigue, port congestion, and safety concerns.
"ICS" primarily refers to industrial control systems, which are hardware and software systems (such as SCADA, PLC, and DCS) used to monitor and automate industrial processes in sectors such as water, energy, and manufacturing. The term is also commonly used to refer to the Incident Command System (standardised emergency management) and Integrated Care Systems (NHS health partnerships).
#ICS #Thomas A. Kazakos # statement #Donald Trump #Seafarers #Case Fier #Hormuz # Persian Gulf #Iran #United States
15 March 2026
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