Concerns raised about “grave humanitarian situation” aboard hijacked vessel in International Shipping News 03/07/2026 The Chair of the Djibouti Code of Conduct/Jeddah Amendment issued the following statement on the grave humanitarian situation aboard MT HONOUR 25. The Chair of the Djibouti Code of Conduct/Jeddah Amendment (DCoC/JA), on behalf of the Signatory States, expresses profound concern over the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation aboard the Republic of Palau-flagged tanker MT HONOUR 25 (IMO 9109735), whose seventeen (17) crew members have now endured more than two months in captivity following the vessel’s hijacking on 24 April 2026. The Chair is equally concerned for the crews of the SWARD (IMO 9174244) and MV EUREKA (IMO 1022823), who continue to be held captive under similarly difficult circumstances. Their continued detention reinforces the urgent need for sustained international efforts to secure the release of all seafarers currently held hostage in the region. Against this backdrop, the latest direct communication from the Master of MT HONOUR 25 presents an alarming picture of the conditions facing the crew. While all 17 crew members remain alive, five crew members, including the Master, are now suffering from health problems. Food supplies have reportedly been reduced to rice alone, while the available water is unsafe for drinking. Even more disturbing are reports that armed pirates guarding the vessel recently exchanged gunfire with a rival pirate group that attempted to approach the ship, leaving the crew trapped between competing armed factions and exposed to an immediate and unpredictable threat to their lives. The Master’s heartfelt appeal to the international community to “help us” and to “ensure that those responsible take urgent action to secure the crew’s release” is a stark reminder that behind every piracy incident are innocent seafarers enduring fear, deprivation, uncertainty and prolonged psychological trauma. Mr. Metse Ralephen