The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) claims the delivery market is ‘deeply concerned’ regarding the evident brand-new plan of the Italian federal government to shut its ports to altruistic migrant rescue vessels running in the Mediterranean Sea.

The solid declaration from the ICS follows Italy (and also Malta) rejected port accessibility to the M/V Aquarius with greater than 600 travelers saved off the coastlineLibya Spain on Monday used to absorb the vessel.

The ICS nows claims the rejection by Italy to enable saved individuals to get off can have significant effects for the safety and security and also well-being of “these distressed people”, consisting of youngsters and also expecting females, the ICS claimed. Media has actually reported the M/V Aquarius’ travelers consist of 11 youngsters and also 7 expecting females.

Over the last numerous years, Italy has actually become ground no for Mediterranean watercraft travelers touchdown in Europe, absorbing greater than 600,000 of them given that 2014. However, Italy’s brand-new democratic federal government, which took control simply this month, appears to have actually taken a difficult position versus the arrival of these travelers by watercraft.

“To its great credit, the government of Italy has consistently permitted prompt and predictable disembarkation of people rescued by merchant ships as well as by vessels operated by humanitarian NGOs. But following the election of the new Italian Government, the crisis now seems to be taking an ever more political direction,” the ICS declaration reviewed,

European Union legislation calls for asylum hunters to sign up in the initial secure nation they get to.

The ICS claims Italy’s transfer to restrict altruistic vessels loaded with saved travelers will undoubtedly bring about included stress on seller ships to execute saves mixed-up.

“If NGO vessels are prevented from disembarking rescued persons in Italy, this would also have significant implications for merchant ships and the movement of trade throughout the Mediterranean, as merchant ships would again have to become involved in a greater number of rescues,” the ICS claimed.

Under the UN International Maritime Organization (IMO) Safety of Life at Sea Convention (SOLAS), seller ships are dedicated to find to the rescue of anyone in distress mixed-up.

According to the ICS, given that the migrant situation in the Mediterranean intensified 3 years earlier, over 50,000 individuals have actually currently been saved by seller ships, with much more saved by army vessels and also watercrafts run by altruistic NGOs.

“The primary concern of shipowners is humanitarian. In the interest of protecting safety of life at sea, ICS is therefore calling on all EU Member States to urgently address the legitimate concerns raised by the Italian government about the large number of rescued persons arriving in Italy, in order that the policy of prompt and predictable disembarkation – consistent with UNHCR principles – can be fully maintained, not just in Italy but in other EU Member States too,” commented ICS Secretary General, Peter Hinchliffe.

Read Next: Italy Cries ‘Victory’ as Spain Opens Port to Rescue Migrants