World · India Bureau
60 nations oppose toll charges on international strait shipping
A coalition of 60 countries has backed a declaration rejecting the imposition of tolls and fees on merchant vessels transiting through key international straits. The move signals growing concern over potential restrictions on global maritime commerce.
LSN India ·
Sixty nations have united behind a declaration opposing the levying of tolls or transit fees on commercial shipping through international straits, according to statements circulated among maritime authorities across Asia and beyond. The coordinated position reflects concerns that such charges could impede free passage through crucial waterways that handle a significant portion of global trade.
International maritime law, including provisions under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, generally prohibits coastal states from imposing tolls on ships exercising rights of transit passage through straits used for international navigation. The declaration reinforces these established principles and underscores commitment to maintaining unfettered maritime commerce.
For India and other nations dependent on maritime trade, the stance carries particular significance given the country's reliance on shipping routes through critical chokepoints in the Indian Ocean and beyond. Indian trade flows through several strategically important straits, making the question of transit fees a matter of direct economic interest.
The declaration represents a diplomatic effort to establish consensus among maritime trading nations and send a clear message to any state considering the introduction of toll regimes. Officials indicated the coordinated backing signals determination to preserve the existing framework governing international maritime passage and prevent disruption to global supply chains.