Iran and Oman will begin a coordinated, large-scale evacuation of stranded vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, according to an announcement Tuesday from the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The global shipping regulator stated it has obtained the necessary safety guarantees to proceed with the operation, which aims to assist over 11,000 seafarers who have been stranded in the Middle East.
The evacuation comes amid ongoing conflict involving the U.S. and Israel against Iran, which began on February 28. The IMO confirmed that conditions for safe navigation have been thoroughly verified. "We remain fully committed to ensuring the safety of seafarers and the continuity of global trade," IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said in a statement.
While the operation is set to commence, the IMO has cautioned that it is a complex process requiring time. Shipmasters have been instructed to await contact from coordinating agencies before moving their vessels. The plan allows ships to select their preferred routes and coordinate passages with coastal authorities. Iran and Oman will be responsible for managing traffic flow to prevent collisions.
Recent developments indicate that some vessels have already navigated out of the Strait of Hormuz. This follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the U.S. and Iran, granting them a 60-day period to finalize an agreement. However, the Joint Maritime Information Center has issued warnings that Iran continues to harass and surveil vessels in the Persian Gulf.
Concurrently, Iran and Oman have agreed to collaborate on future oversight of the waterway, including cost management. Oman's Foreign Ministry has expressed its intention to ensure "freedom of navigation in the strait without imposing transit fees." Iranian officials have reportedly discussed imposing fees for passage, which they claim would be for unspecified services rather than universal tolls, a distinction shipping experts consider semantic.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, upon arriving in Abu Dhabi, stated that no country can legally charge ships for passage through the strait, referencing existing international law. President Trump has also weighed in on the matter, asserting on social media that tolls would only be permissible if imposed by and for the United States.