The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has announced the start of a phased evacuation of more than 11,000 seafarers stranded in and around the Strait of Hormuz after months of severe disruption to commercial shipping in one of the world’s most critical energy routes.
The disruption followed the outbreak of the US–Iran war in late February, which triggered a sharp escalation in regional tensions and led to severe restrictions on commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The resulting conditions disrupted normal vessel traffic, forcing rerouting and leaving thousands of seafarers stranded on delayed ships over an extended period.
While welcoming the recent US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to end the conflict, IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said the evacuation plan will be implemented in coordination with regional and international stakeholders, including Iran, Oman, the United States and the wider maritime industry.
“Following months of hardship and suffering for thousands of innocent seafarers and negative impacts for the entire world, I welcome the agreement between the US and Iran, a decisive step toward restoring maritime security and ending unacceptable attacks on civilian vessels,” Dominguez said in a statement on Tuesday.
“We will begin implementing the evacuation plan for the more than 11,000 seafarers currently stranded in the region.”
Further, the IMO chief confirmed that security guarantees had been secured to allow the phased movement of vessels out of the region under regulated procedures.
Oman, working with the IMO, has issued guidance for a temporary maritime corridor to manage vessel movements during the evacuation.
Ships will be moved in stages through designated sea routes to help reduce the risk of collisions and ease congestion in the area.
“Vessels included in the designated groups will be contacted individually and provided with further instructions regarding their departure by relevant parties coordinated by the IMO,” the guidance, issued alongside Dominguez’s statement, reads.
“Vessels will be contacted individually and advised of their allocated transit day by the parties coordinated by IMO.”
Upon receiving the aforesaid information, vessels will proceed to a designated waiting area in international waters near the entrance of the Strait of Hormuz. Once they arrive at the waiting area, ships will be required to contact the relevant coastal state for their chosen route to confirm that traffic conditions allow them to continue safely.
“Vessel traffic may be temporarily suspended for safety or security purposes, including deconfliction with naval vessels,” the guidance warned.
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