ICS raises toll-free Strait of Hormuz campaign with Kuwait’s UK ambassador

London, United Kingdom. International Chamber of Shipping secretary general Thomas Kazakos has discussed the organisation’s campaign for a toll-free Strait of Hormuz with Kuwait’s ambassador to the United Kingdom, Badar A. Almunayekh.

The meeting at Kuwait’s embassy in London focused on freedom of navigation and the ability of merchant vessels to use international waterways safely, predictably and without unnecessary impediment.

Campaign position

The meeting forms part of the ICS “No Tolls/No Control Change” campaign, which calls for freedom of navigation and a toll-free Strait of Hormuz.

The organisation’s position is that merchant vessels should be able to use international waterways without compulsory charges or measures controlling their passage.

According to the ICS, proposals concerning the Strait of Hormuz have included tolls, charges for services, compulsory insurance and, most recently, cargo charges.

Legal and economic concerns

The chamber said there is no legitimate basis for compulsory transit charges or mechanisms controlling vessels passing through an international strait. It warned that internationally recognised navigation rights should not become bargaining tools in broader political negotiations.

Under international law, the ICS said, there is no legal basis for imposing a toll solely for exercising the right of transit through Hormuz, although charges may apply where a vessel receives a specific service.

The organisation said additional maritime transport costs could feed through international supply chains, contributing to higher energy prices, inflation and economic uncertainty. It also warned that efforts to control which vessels may transit Hormuz could set a precedent for other international straits.

Previous statement

Kazakos said in a July statement that freedom of navigation had been sidelined during the conflict, disrupting global trade and key energy supply routes.