The UN's International Maritime Organization (IMO) announced plans to evacuate more than 11,000 sailors stranded in the Strait of Hormuz due to the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict. IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez reported that 14 seafarers have died during the conflict and described the evacuation as a large-scale operation involving the U.S., Iran, Oman, and other parties.
The IMO estimates that up to 600 ships are currently stranded in the region. Dominguez stated that the UN has received safety guarantees and has verified conditions for safe navigation to support the evacuation mission. He expressed satisfaction with the peace agreement between the U.S. and Iran, which he believes is a significant step toward restoring maritime security and ending attacks on civilian shipping.
Maritime expert Capt. Kees Buckens noted that ships are already returning to the Strait to collect and transport oil. He commented on the Omani Government's formal notification, indicating a well-organized plan for safe transit through the Strait. Buckens does not anticipate tolls affecting the evacuation operation and mentioned that concerns about remaining mines in the Strait have been alleviated by Oman's assurances. The evacuation operation is expected to commence once ships are cleared to transit designated routes under the agreed safety framework.