Maritime Legal Update – May 2026
Strait of Hormuz – major shipping organizations
issue guidance for safe vessel transits
(prepared
by Marek Czernis & Co. Law Office)
Firm note – maritime security, war risks and
shipping safety
The Law
Office actively advises shipowners, operators, charterers, insurers and
offshore stakeholders on: maritime security, war risks, piracy and armed
conflict response, sanctions and navigation compliance, operational risk
management, voyage risk allocation and incident response in high-risk areas.
The
security situation in and around the Strait of Hormuz remains one of the most
significant current threats to global shipping and energy security.
1. Introduction – industry guidance for Hormuz
transits
Major
international shipping organizations have issued joint guidance concerning safe
management of vessel transits through the Strait of Hormuz following the
escalation of security threats in the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman and broader
Middle East Gulf region.
The
initiative involves organizations including: BIMCO, ICS, INTERTANKO, INTERCARGO,
IMCA, OCIMF and bodies cooperating with IMO and coalition naval
forces.
2. Increasing security threats
Industry
organizations highlight a rapid deterioration of the security environment
involving: missile and drone attacks, boarding attempts, seizure risks, GNSS
interference, spoofing and jamming, sea mine threats and risks of
misidentification of merchant vessels.
IMO
stressed that the protection of navigation and seafarers requires coordinated
international action.
3. Safe transit guidance – key recommendations
The
industry guidance recommends: voyage-specific risk assessments, continuous
coordination with UKMTO and NAVCENT NCAGS, monitoring of security advisories, implementation
of BMP (Best Management Practices), heightened bridge readiness and strict
onboard security procedures.
Particular
emphasis is placed on maintaining maximum operational readiness while
transiting the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) in the Strait of
Hormuz.
4. AIS, GNSS and electronic navigation risks
The
guidance also highlights growing risks associated with: GNSS spoofing, AIS
interference, electronic navigation disruption and cyber-related operational
threats.
Shipowners
are advised to implement: additional position verification, manual navigation
cross-checks, backup navigation procedures and enhanced bridge-team
monitoring.
5. War risks and contractual implications
The current
situation directly affects: war risk premiums, charterparty performance, deviation
rights, force majeure discussions, safety clauses and contractual allocation of
transit risks.
Operational
consequences increasingly include: transit restrictions, operational delays, booking
suspensions and rising insurance and fuel costs.
6. Practical implications for shipowners and
operators
The
situation confirms the growing importance of: dynamic voyage planning, real-time
security monitoring, crew protection procedures, emergency response
preparedness and security compliance management.
Increasing
significance is also attached to proper documentation of navigational and
security decision-making by shipowners, operators and masters.
7. Law Office conclusions
The Strait
of Hormuz situation demonstrates that:
maritime
security has become one of the core areas of global shipping risk management.
Further
developments are likely to include: continued regional escalation, expanded
military presence, broader IMO and industry guidance and rising war risk and
security compliance costs.
The Law
Office continues to support clients regarding: war risks, charterparty
disputes, sanctions and security compliance, incident response, insurance
disputes and voyage risk allocation.
Final note – our publications
Further
insights regarding maritime law, maritime security, offshore and IMO
regulations are available at:
https://czernis.pl
https://www.linkedin.com/company/czernis