UN Secretary-General António Guterres has proposed a UN-backed mechanism to help facilitate the movement of fertilizer-carrying vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, aiming to reduce the risk of incidents and create more space for diplomacy.
The proposal would establish a system to register and verify vessels transporting fertilizers and similar products, while also introducing an incident-prevention mechanism that would initially be piloted by Oman.
Guterres stressed that the United Nations would not authorize vessels to pass through the strait and would not alter the rights or obligations of states under international law. Instead, the UN would act as a neutral intermediary, helping identify vessels and reduce the possibility of confrontations during transit.
According to Guterres, the initiative has been under discussion since March and is intended to achieve three main objectives: lower immediate risks, make maritime transit more predictable and rebuild confidence for diplomatic engagement and de-escalation.
However, he acknowledged that the proposal does not necessarily mean all parties involved have agreed to the mechanism.
The initiative reflects the UN’s attempt to play a limited but potentially important role in easing tensions around one of the world’s most strategically important maritime routes, while keeping diplomacy at the center of efforts to prevent further escalation.
