UANI Applauds Korean Register of Shipping for Ending its Certification of Iranian Vessels

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--On Friday, United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) applauded the Korean Register of Shipping (KR) for ending its certification of Iranian vessels, specifically those of the sanctioned Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) and National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC).

“stop[ped] providing classification services to Iranian ships.”

Since June 2012, UANI has persistently pressured KR to end its Iran-related activities (see here, here, here). Today, KR announced that it has “stop[ped] providing classification services to Iranian ships.”

Said UANI CEO, Ambassador Mark D. Wallace:

We applaud KR for this responsible and significant decision. KR has now joined other classification societies and countries in forcing Iran’s business partners to assume the risks for their work with the regime. Without certification coverage, which is needed to acquire shipping insurance or to enter major international ports, the Iranian regime’s shipping activities will be drastically restricted. The ultimate effect will be to isolate the regime more than ever before and hamper its ability to do international commerce.

UANI will continue to work to impose an international shipping blockade against the Iranian regime, and call for constant vigilance and corporate responsibility when it comes to Iran’s use of vessels.

KR joins the prominent shipping services Bureau Veritas, Germanischer Lloyd, the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping, and ClassNK in ending their certification of Iranian vessels in response to UANI.

UANI has highlighted the shipping industry as an area where the international community can further pressure Iran. In a March 17 Wall Street Journal Op-Ed, six UANI board members wrote that "the world must deny Iran's access to international shipping, a move that would severely affect the regime given its dependence on global trade and seaborne crude oil exports."

Click here to read UANI’s June 25 letter to KR.

Click here to learn more about UANI’s Shipping Campaign.