The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is finalising a humanitarian evacuation plan for around 800 vessels stranded in the Persian Gulf since US and Israeli strikes on Iran began over seven weeks ago, Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez revealed.
Speaking at Singapore Maritime Week, Dominguez stressed activation hinges on clear de-escalation signals, mine clearance verification, and no attack risks. Departures would prioritise crew welfare—factoring stranding duration—via the 1968 Iran-Oman Traffic Separation Scheme, with littoral states and flag nations coordinating.
Iran’s coastal route system, sometimes demanding payments, persists amid Tehran’s threats that deterred transits despite selective exits. The US blockade last week intensified perils, stranding 20,000 seafarers as Hormuz traffic trickled.
For global shipping, the blueprint promises order amid chaos: VLCCs/LNG carriers first for energy security, then containers. Hormuz reopening (oil -10%) offers hope, but ceasefire expiry looms. IMO Council mandates prioritised seafarer evacuations over cargo values.
