Today - Monday 19 February 2024 – marks the three-month anniversary since the Houthis seized the Galaxy Leader and its 25 seafarers in the Red Sea. The vessel, a roll-on/roll-off vehicle carrier, was seized on the 19 November. The maritime industry has joined together from around the world to express their concern for the seafarers who have been held hostage, and call on the Houthis to release the crew of the Galaxy Leader.
“The 25 seafarers who make up the crew of the Galaxy Leader are innocent victims of the ongoing aggression against world shipping, and their plight is a major concern as the merchant shipping community continues to come under attack.
“All efforts must be made by international organisations and States to secure the release of the seafarers.”
“It is abhorrent that seafarers were seized by military forces and that they have been kept from their families and loved ones for too long. All 25 crew members of the Galaxy Leader must be released now”.
Please kindly see below the full list of co-signatories to this statement.
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| Asian Shipowners Association (ASA) | Asociación de Navieros Españoles (ANAVE) |
| Yuichi Sonoda, Secretary General | Elena Seco, Director General |
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| Bahamas Shipowners Association | BIMCO |
| Domenico Rognoni, Chairman | David Loosley, Secretary General & CEO |
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| Chamber of Marine Commerce | Chamber of Shipping of America |
| Bruce Burrows, President & CEO | Kathy J Metcalf, President |
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| Confitarma | Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) |
| Mario Zanetti, President | Kelly Craighead, President & CEO |
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| Cyprus Shipping Chamber | Danish Shipping |
| Thomas Kazakos, Director General | Anne H. Steffensen, Director General & CEO |
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| European Community Shipowners’ Association (ECSA) | FONASBA (The Federation of National Associations of Ship Brokers and Agents) |
| Sotiris Raptis, Secretary General | Javier Dulce, President |
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| IFSMA |
InterManager |
| Jim Scorer, Secretary General | Capt. Kuba Szymanski, Secretary General |
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| International Association of Ports & Harbors (IAPH) | International Chamber of Shipping |
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| International Christian Maritime Association | International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) |
| Dr. Jason Zuidema, General Secretary | Iain Grainger, CEO |
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| International Maritime Employers’ Council (IMEC) | International Parcel Tankers Association (IPTA) |
| Francesco Gargiulo, Chief Executive Officer | Manish Jain, Chairman |
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| International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) | Japanese Shipowners’ Association (JSA) |
| Stephen Cotton, General Secretary | Toshiya Morishige, Director General |
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| Liberian Shipowners’ Council Ltd (LSC) | Norwegian Shipowners’ Association (NSA) |
| Kierstin Del Valle Lachtman, Secretary General | Harald Solberg, CEO |
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| Royal Association of Netherlands Shipowners (KVNR) | Swiss Shipowners Association (SSA) |
| Annet Koster, Managing Director | Eric André, President |
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| The Seamen’s Church Institute | UK Chamber of Shipping |
| The Rev. Mark Nestlehutt, President & Executive Director | Sarah Treseder, CEO |
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| World Shipping Council (WSC) | |
| John W. Butler, President and CEO |
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