IMO Expects To Clear Most Ships Stranded Near Hormuz Within Weeks

Kathmandu. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has expressed hope that most ships stranded under the new evacuation framework will be cleared within the next few weeks, said IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez. The UN's maritime agency IMO had announced an evacuation plan for crews stranded in the waters around the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday.

The operation, conducted in coordination with regional countries and the production industry, is expected to facilitate the safe departure of approximately 11,000 crew members on board about 600 ships affected by the ongoing crisis, Dominguez said.

He expressed hope that they would be able to clear most of the ships within the next few weeks, noting that work is being done daily to increase evacuations. The Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, is one of the world's most strategically important maritime routes and is considered a major gateway for global energy trade.

In the recent crisis, over 20,000 crew members have been stranded in the waters around Hormuz, and attacks on merchant ships have claimed at least 14 lives.

He stated that the operation must proceed cautiously and in phases, considering the complex security situation. Ships are being directed through routes operated by Iran in the northern part and Oman in the southern part, with a joint notice issued by Oman and the IMO taking effect earlier this week.

According to Dominguez, ships are being grouped into batches according to their evacuation needs, how long they have been stranded, and their location in the Persian Gulf, and are being instructed to proceed to designated holding areas before being allowed to transit the waterway.

Dominguez said that ships will be contacted according to the situation and coordinated for free use of the waterway. The IMO chief revealed that the organization has been engaged in extensive consultations with all coastal states in the region, including Iran and Oman, as well as countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, and France.

He also stated that the necessary security guarantees have been obtained to establish these corridors. Dominguez praised the ongoing diplomatic contacts between the United States and Iran, saying they are contributing not only to de-escalating tensions but also to restoring transit on one of the world's most important waterways.

Dominguez said the crisis has once again highlighted the difficulties and vulnerabilities faced by crews caught in geopolitical conflicts. He described it as harmful and tragic for innocent crews and seafarers stranded in the conflict for the past four months.

Dominguez said that crews worldwide, most affected by the crisis, are bearing the consequences of rising geopolitical tensions from the Red Sea to the Black Sea and now the Strait of Hormuz.

Stating that shipping should not be used as a hostage in any geopolitical conflict to harm innocent people, Dominguez said that issues related to the training and safety of crews and seafarers are major global issues.