The International Maritime Organization (IMO), a United Nations agency, has started the process of evacuating more than 11,000 mariners who were left stranded in the Strait of Hormuz.
The operation was made possible following a memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran, intended to conclude the US-Israel war on Iran, reports Al Jazeera.
On Tuesday, IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez confirmed that the mission is being conducted in “close cooperation” with various stakeholders, including Iran, Oman, the United States, regional coastal states, and the broader shipping industry.
Dominguez stated that the organisation has secured all essential safety guarantees and has verified that conditions are suitable for safe navigation during the extraction.
The strategic waterway had been effectively shut by Tehran since the commencement of hostilities on 28 February, a move that left numerous commercial vessels immobilised. While tensions remain, recent data suggests a resumption of movement; the shipping intelligence firm Kpler noted that at least 36 commercial ships traversed the strait on Monday, the highest volume recorded since the war’s outbreak.
Oman’s Ministry of Defence indicated that the removal of the trapped vessels will be a phased and controlled process. The ministry emphasised the need for a gradual evacuation to mitigate the “elevated risk of collision” currently present in the crowded waterway.
Efforts to ensure the continued opening of the passage are gaining international momentum. On Tuesday, Denmark announced its decision to participate in a maritime mission originally established by Britain and France to assist in the reopening of the trade route.
