Philippines backs global pledge against maritime tolls

A China Coast Guard ship (R) sailing past a Philippine fishing boat with volunteers from the civilian-led mission Atin Ito (This Is Ours) Coalition on board, in the disputed South China Sea on May 16, 2024.

AFP / Ted Aljibe

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines has joined 59 other countries in opposing the introduction of new maritime tolls in vital waterways by signing a global pledge against any measure that could compromise lawful international navigation.

The pledge, initiated by the European Union (EU), was signed by all 27 member states and 33 other countries as they reaffirmed their support for freedom of navigation.

It came following previous reports indicating that authorities in Iran had imposed a maritime toll fee system in the Strait of Hormuz, causing disruptions in the waterway’s operations.

The pledge stressed that no government is allowed to impose maritime tolls under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), reiterating that such “discriminatory measures” would set a “dangerous precedent” for international waterways.

“No State should impose discriminatory limits on the passage of ships through such waterways in a manner inconsistent with international law, as reflected in UNCLOS. This principle is vital for global security,” the pledge read.

Through the pledge, the signatories committed to supporting “defensive and non-escalatory” multilateral actions to preserve freedom of navigation, rejecting “coercive or unilateral actions” that would undermine the international law of the sea, and opposing any measures that would disrupt lawful navigation in international shipping routes.

EU High Representative and Vice President Kaja Kallas announced the pledge on October 12, saying it was a ‘clear diplomatic signal’ to those attempting to ‘hijack’ international shipping routes.

“International waters, the arteries of our economy, must remain open to everyone, not to whoever can pay,” Kallas said in a press briefing in Luxembourg on October 12.