Shipping executives gathering in Athens on Monday warned that any future peace agreement between the United States and Iran must include clear, enforceable rules to allow commercial vessels to safely resume operations through the Strait of Hormuz.
The comments came as shipowners and maritime officials met at the Capital Link conference and other events marking the start of Posidonia, the biennial week‑long shipping exhibition. Industry leaders said uncertainty in the Gulf continues to disrupt global trade and place heavy strain on crews.
Pankaj Khanna, president of Heidmar Maritime Holdings Corp, said the sector urgently needs a defined framework outlining how ships can enter and exit the region once a peace deal is reached. He noted that one of the company’s vessels has been stuck inside the Gulf for three months, with seafarers missing major family events.
Greece’s shipping minister, Vasilis Kikilias, said no one can predict when the conflict will end, stressing how quickly tensions escalate and how slowly they are resolved. He insisted that global shipping must not be denied free passage, even though recent events show that keeping maritime trade out of geopolitical disputes is increasingly difficult.
Yiannis Procopiou, CEO of Centrofin Management, said that while insurance may still be available, the Strait of Hormuz remains a high‑risk transit point without clear rules of engagement for dealing with both the U.S. and Iran. Until such guidelines exist, he argued, the area will remain an unattractive and dangerous route for commercial shipping.
