India and Liberia have launched the ‘Group of Friends on Safety and Security of Shipping and Seafarers’ at the United Nations, bringing together countries to strengthen international cooperation on maritime safety, shipping security and the protection of seafarers.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Liberia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Sara Beysolow Nyanti launched the initiative on the sidelines of the high-level session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. India and Liberia will serve as co-chairs of the group.
The first meeting of the group was attended by representatives of 25 countries. The platform brings together major ship-owning nations, countries with the largest shipping registries and nations that provide a significant number of seafarers.
Jaishankar raised concerns over repeated attacks on commercial shipping and merchant mariners in recent months, including incidents across the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf, the Red Sea and the Black Sea. He said such attacks disrupt maritime commerce and result in the loss of innocent lives, calling for stronger international efforts to deter them.
Nearly two million seafarers operate the world’s merchant fleet, according to Jaishankar. He also highlighted other challenges faced by seafarers, including prolonged confinement on board vessels, delays in crew changes and repatriation, separation from families and psychological distress, apart from the risks associated with physical attacks.
Maritime shipping accounts for around four-fifths of global trade, making the safety of vessels and seafarers an important part of international economic activity. Jaishankar said the new group would seek to strengthen cooperation among member states and other stakeholders on issues affecting the commercial shipping industry and seafarers.
The initiative is intended to function as an inclusive, voluntary and action-oriented platform. It will facilitate the exchange of views and experiences and promote practical cooperation, while complementing existing international frameworks and mandates, including those of the International Maritime Organization and International Labour Organization.
Jaishankar also referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s proposal at the recent BRICS Summit for a Seafarers Emergency Support Network. The proposed network would connect maritime authorities and embassies of relevant countries to facilitate distress alerts, medical assistance, communication with families and evacuation support when required.
The need for greater coordination is also linked to the international nature of the shipping industry, where seafarers may work on vessels registered under a different country from their own nationality. The Group of Friends will therefore seek to provide a platform for countries and stakeholders to jointly advance issues related to the safety and security of shipping and seafarers.
Liberia, which hosts the world’s largest shipping registry by gross tonnage, and India, a major source of seafarers, said their partnership reflects the shared responsibility of protecting maritime trade and the people who operate the global merchant fleet.
