SLPHA Takes Seafarers’ Safety Concerns to Global Maritime Summit in London
Sahid Bangura Director General of the Sierra Leone Ports and Harbours Authority (SLPHA), Yankuba Askia Bio, has called for stronger international cooperation to safeguard seafarers operating in conflict-affected maritime zones, warning against exposing innocent maritime workers to the consequences of geopolitical tensions.
Bio made the call while contributing to discussions at the 138th Session of the Council of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), held in London, United Kingdom, from November 2 to 6, 2026.
Addressing growing security concerns along major international shipping routes, including the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea and the Black Sea, the SLPHA Director General stressed the need for collective international action to protect seafarers and ensure the safety of commercial shipping operations.
He emphasised that seafarers, whose work remains critical to global trade and maritime transportation, should not be subjected to attacks or placed in danger because of conflicts beyond their control.
“Innocent seafarers must never become victims of geopolitical conflicts beyond their control,” Bio stated.
Discussions at the IMO Council session also highlighted the growing human cost of attacks on commercial vessels. The IMO Secretary-General disclosed that 25 seafarer casualties had been confirmed, alongside at least 130 verified attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz region.
The figures underscored the increasing security challenges confronting international shipping and the urgent need for coordinated measures to protect maritime personnel, vessels and vital shipping routes.
SLPHA’s participation in the high-level international maritime meeting reflects the Authority’s continued engagement in global maritime governance and its commitment to supporting international initiatives aimed at strengthening maritime safety, security and the protection of seafarers.
Bio’s intervention further highlights Sierra Leone’s contribution to international discussions on maritime security, particularly the need to place the safety, welfare and protection of seafarers at the centre of global responses to maritime threats.