UN maritime agency opposes Hormuz transit fees after Trump demands protection money
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The International Maritime Organization, a United Nations agency, said Monday that it opposes transit fees in the Strait of Hormuz after President Donald Trump demanded that ships pay protection money.
"We have always been consistent on our stance on fees – IMO stands firmly against charging fees for passage through straits used for international navigation," a spokesperson said.
"There is no legal basis through which to introduce mandatory tolls simply to transit through a strait," the spokesperson said.
Trump on Monday said the U.S. military will protect ship traffic through Hormuz, but demanded reimbursement equivalent to 20% of the value of all cargo that is transported through the strait.
He ordered the U.S. Navy to reimpose its blockade of Iranian ships.
"The Hormuz Strait is OPEN, and will remain OPEN, with or without Iran," Trump said.
"We are reinstating the THE IRANIAN BLOCKADE, so named because it is only stopping Iran's ships or customers from entering or leaving. All other countries will have fair and open use of the Strait."
Iran has demanded in the past that ships pay a toll to safely transit Hormuz. Tehran agreed it would not charge a toll for 60 days under the memorandum of understanding it signed with the U.S. on June 17.
Source: CNBC
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