Eight Major Shipping Groups Urge UN to Oppose Tolls on Strait of Hormuz

Eight of the world’s leading shipping organisations have urged the United Nations to oppose any plan to impose tolls on vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The groups sent a letter to the UN calling for action against the proposed toll system.

The development came as discussions over the Strait of Hormuz between Iran and Oman reportedly reached an advanced stage, according to a report by Al Jazeera on Thursday (August 6).

In a letter addressed to UN Secretary-General António Guterres and International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez, the organisations said allowing authorities to collect payments from ships using the strait would violate international norms and harm the global economy.

The organisations, representing ship owners and operators, sent the letter to the United Nations on Monday, and it was made public on Wednesday.

The letter stated that imposing mandatory charges or service fees effectively considered as tolls for transit through the Strait of Hormuz would represent a significant departure from established international practices.

The groups warned that beyond the immediate financial impact on global trade, such a move could set an exceptional precedent and weaken internationally recognised legal frameworks governing freedom of navigation and transit routes.

They said internationally recognised maritime navigation rights should not be undermined or used as a tool in broader political negotiations. According to the letter, a permanent toll system could lead to higher energy prices, increased inflation and greater economic uncertainty worldwide.

The organisations also warned that such consequences would carry a humanitarian cost, affecting livelihoods and daily lives of people across the globe. They stressed the importance of preserving freedom of navigation as a foundation of international maritime governance.

The eight organisations that signed the letter are the Asian Shipowners’ Association, Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO), Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), European Community Shipowners’ Associations, International Chamber of Shipping, International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners, International Association of Independent Tanker Owners, and World Shipping Council.

Earlier, IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez told Al Jazeera that imposing tolls on the strait would violate international law and create a “very bad” precedent for global maritime transport.

He said no country has the authority to impose tolls, payments or charges on such international waterways.

According to reports, after the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran in late February, Tehran effectively established a maritime “toll booth” in the Strait of Hormuz. In May, Iran formally introduced the toll system through the establishment of the Persian Gulf Strait Authority.