Germany’s shipping industry on Wednesday welcomed the newly announced ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran as a positive step.

It however said the industry leaders warned that significant risks remained for vessels operating in the Gulf region.

The German Shipowners’ Association (VDR) described the two-week truce as an important signal for thousands of sailors stranded at sea.

It stressed that lack of concrete security guarantees continues to pose a major concern.

According to the association, more than 2,200 commercial vessels and around 20,000 seafarers are unable to leave the Gulf since hostilities erupted on February 28, after Iran threatened attacks on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

At least 50 of those vessels are operated by German companies.

Under the ceasefire agreement, Iran has agreed to reopen the vital maritime corridor, a key route for global oil and gas shipments.

The move has been welcomed by the International Maritime Organisation, whose Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez, said the development was encouraging for both seafarers and the wider shipping industry.

Mr Dominguez added that efforts were already underway to establish mechanisms to ensure safe passage through the waterway, with immediate priority given to safeguarding navigation and facilitating the movement of stranded vessels.

Despite these reassurances, German shipping companies remain wary.

The VDR said operators were continuously reassessing conditions but unlikely to resume transit without clear and reliable security arrangements, global industry bodies share similar concerns.

The Baltic and International Maritime Council has advised companies to avoid passing through the strait without prior coordination with both Iran and the U.S as major shipping firms are also proceeding cautiously.

Mr Hapag-Lloyd reported that six of its vessels remain stuck in the region and said it was yet recommending transit due to ongoing risk assessments.

The company added that ships would leave the area as soon as conditions were deemed safe.

Similarly, Danish shipping giant Maersk said that 10 of its vessels were currently in the Gulf, adding that it was reviewing next steps following the ceasefire.

However, the company emphasised that the agreement had not yet provided sufficient security assurances for normal operations.

The situation highlights the continued fragility of maritime security in the region.

Also, the industry stakeholders are signalling that a return to regular shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz will depend on more than a temporary pause in hostilities.

(dpa/NAN)