UN agency begins evacuation of 11,000 seafarers through Strait of Hormuz

The International Maritime Organization (IMO), the United Nations’ maritime agency, has begun an operation to evacuate more than 11,000 seafarers stranded in the Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz, after the United States and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending their conflict.

The move follows months of disruption after Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz following the outbreak of war on February 28, leaving many cargo and commercial vessels unable to pass through one of the world’s most important strategic shipping routes.

IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said the large-scale operation would be carried out in close cooperation with Iran, Oman, other coastal states in the region, the United States and the maritime industry. The IMO said it had secured the necessary safety guarantees and verified conditions for safe navigation.

The evacuation plan comes after the United States and Iran reached a ceasefire agreement last week, allowing maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz to begin recovering.

Shipping monitor Kpler said at least 36 ships passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, the highest traffic volume since March 1.

However, Oman’s defence ministry said the evacuation of vessels and crew would be carried out gradually and under controlled conditions to avoid risks from heavy maritime traffic and possible ship collisions.

The ministry also said the usual Traffic Separation Scheme was not safe to use at this time, and that temporary northern and southern routes could be used for the evacuation. Ships will be contacted individually and assigned specific transit days under the IMO-coordinated plan.

Denmark, meanwhile, has announced that it will join an international maritime security mission led by France and the United Kingdom to support the reopening of shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy corridors.

Oman and Iran have also issued a joint statement confirming that they are discussing mechanisms to fully reopen trade and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, although no clear timetable has yet been announced.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who visited the United Arab Emirates on the same day, stressed that the Strait of Hormuz is an international waterway and that Iran has no right to charge tolls or fees on vessels passing through it.

“It’s an international waterway,” Rubio said. “No country is allowed to charge tolls or fees on an international waterway.”