The United Nations' International Maritime Organization (IMO) has temporarily suspended a planned evacuation of over 11,000 sailors in the Strait of Hormuz following an attack on a cargo ship. The vessel, the Singapore-flagged Ever Lovely, was reportedly struck by an "unknown projectile" approximately 7.5 nautical miles southeast of Oman's port of Dahit.
IMO chief Arsenio Dominguez stated that while several boats had already been evacuated, the agency needs to ensure "necessary safety guarantees" remain in place. The attacked vessel, according to Dominguez, was not transiting under the IMO's evacuation framework. He added that the evacuation plan will be paused "until further clarity is obtained" to ensure a coordinated approach and navigational safety.
The cargo ship, the Ever Lovely, continued through the strait after the incident, and no casualties were reported. Maritime risk management firm Vanguard confirmed that the ship did not require assistance.
The UN evacuation effort was announced on Tuesday, following the reopening of the strait, and was described as a "large-scale operation" with cooperation from Iran, Oman, the U.S., other regional coastal states, and the maritime industry. The strait, a critical waterway for oil and gas shipments, had been effectively closed by Iran since late February, contributing to a spike in global oil prices.
This incident occurs amidst ongoing tensions and negotiations between the U.S. and Iran. Last week, the two nations agreed to end hostilities under a 14-point deal. A key provision of this agreement calls for Iran to use its "best efforts for the safe passage of commercial vessels with no charge for 60 days." However, Iran has indicated plans to charge what it terms maritime service fees for passage through the strait, a stance opposed by the U.S.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, currently on a tour of the Gulf, has warned that no country is permitted to impose tolls on the Strait of Hormuz, characterizing it as "an international waterway." The MOU signed on June 17th, which set a 60-day period for negotiations on Iran's nuclear program and other measures to end the war, had previously led to a decrease in crude oil prices. Earlier on Thursday, oil prices briefly fell below $72.48 a barrel, a price point seen before the U.S. and Israel launched attacks on Iran, before rising again to $73.23.