![A foreign-flagged commercial vessel catches fire after reportedly being hit by a rocket claimed to be of Russian origin in the waters off Ukraine's southern coast on February 25, 2022. (Photo: Ukrainian Ministry of Defence)](http://media.assettype.com/bairdmaritime%2Fimport%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F220317-7-Ukrainian-MOD.jpg?w=480&auto=format%2Ccompress&fit=max)
The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Council has agreed to encourage the establishment, as a provisional and urgent measure, of a blue safe maritime corridor to allow the safe evacuation of seafarers and ships from the high-risk and affected areas in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov amid the ongoing hostilities in Ukraine following the invasion of the country by Russian military forces.
The council hopes the measure will protect the lives of seafarers, ensure the mobilisation and commercial navigation of vessels intending to use this corridor by avoiding military attacks, and protect and secure the maritime domain.
The council has invited Secretary-General Kitack Lim to collaborate with the relevant parties and take necessary immediate actions to initiate the establishment and support the implementation of the maritime corridor and keep member states informed of developments and report to the next session of the council.
The council welcomed the proposal that a number of steps should be taken to reduce the suffering of seafarers and their families, as follows: