Shipping Companies Urged To Prioritise Safety In Strait Of Hormuz

Increasing Concerns Over Seafarer Safety

International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez has issued a stark warning: no commercial or operational consideration can justify exposing seafarers to danger. This alert comes as vessels continue to transit the strategic Strait of Hormuz without credible security guarantees, despite well-documented risks.

Known Risks Demand Careful Evaluation

Dominguez said shipping companies should carefully assess the risks associated with operating in the area. Recent incidents involving deaths, injuries and detentions of seafarers have highlighted the security challenges facing commercial shipping routes in the region.

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Responsibility And Accountability In Voyage Planning

According to the IMO chief, responsibility for voyage planning and risk assessment ultimately rests with shipowners, operators and vessel masters. He stressed that decisions affecting crews should be based on safety and security considerations and supported by appropriate risk management procedures. Protecting seafarers, he added, must remain a priority when evaluating operational plans.

A Call For Stakeholder Responsibility

In a final appeal, the IMO chief urged all maritime stakeholders to act with the highest levels of responsibility. Every measure must be taken to avoid actions that place innocent civilian seafarers at unnecessary risk. As the industry navigates these challenging conditions, the preservation of life remains the overriding priority.

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Cyprus Fuel Prices Jump 20.5% As Energy Costs Rise Across The EU

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

June 24, 2026

Cyprus recorded a 20.5% year-on-year increase in the prices of fuels and lubricants for personal transport in May 2026, according to Eurostat data released on Monday.

The increase was broadly in line with the European Union average of 20.7%, with fuel and lubricant prices rising across all EU member states during the period.

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Cyprus Tracks The EU Average

Among EU countries, the largest annual increases were recorded in Bulgaria (33.9%), Luxembourg (32.2%), Lithuania (30.8%) and Romania (30.4%). At the other end of the scale, Hungary registered the smallest increase at 3.5%, while annual growth ranged from 12.7% in Poland to 29.2% in France across the remaining member states.

Eurostat noted that fuel and lubricant prices generally declined across the EU until February 2026 before moving higher in subsequent months.

Diesel And Petrol Follow Different Paths

Across the European Union, diesel prices increased by 29% in May 2026 compared with the same month a year earlier, while petrol prices rose by 16.2%. Monthly trends, however, were more mixed. Between April and May 2026, diesel prices across the EU fell by 5.8%, whereas petrol prices increased by 0.8%.

In Cyprus, diesel prices declined by 1.5% over the same period. Although lower than in April, the decrease was less pronounced than in Germany (-11.9%), Greece (-8.5%), Estonia (-8.4%) and Ireland (-8.1%).

Petrol prices moved in the opposite direction, rising by 2.1% between April and May. A similar pattern was observed across much of the EU, with 23 member states reporting monthly increases. Italy recorded the largest monthly rise in petrol prices at 6.9%, while decreases were reported in Germany (-5.6%), Ireland (-2.0%) and Sweden (-0.7%).

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