UN Maritime Agency Pauses Hormuz Evacuation Plan After Ship Attack Raises Safety Concerns

The International Maritime Organization has paused its evacuation initiative for vessels and seafarers stranded inside the Middle East Gulf after a ship was attacked in the Gulf of Oman. The move comes shortly after a container vessel was struck by an unknown projectile near Oman’s coast, with a U.S. official saying Iran was behind the incident.

IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said the temporary pause was necessary to reconfirm that safety guarantees remain in place for ships included in the evacuation list and for other vessels operating in the region. The agency had launched the initiative earlier in the week to help hundreds of stranded ships and thousands of seafarers leave the Gulf safely.

The evacuation framework was designed to offer two potential exit routes through the Strait of Hormuz. One route would pass through Iranian waters in the north, while the other would use a southern path near Oman under U.S. oversight. The plan emerged after the U.S. and Iran reached an interim 60-day peace deal intended to pause hostilities while negotiations for a longer-term agreement continued.

Despite the ceasefire, maritime security in the region remains fragile. Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has partially recovered but is still far below pre-war levels. Lloyd’s List Intelligence reported that 125 vessels passed through the strait in the week following the ceasefire, marking the highest weekly transit level since the conflict began in late February.

Iran has continued to assert control over shipping routes through the strait. On Wednesday, Tehran’s military warned vessels against using the southern route approved under the IMO framework, saying any new route established without Iranian approval would be unacceptable and dangerous. The warning prompted at least two vessels to turn back while attempting to leave the Gulf through the southern passage near Oman.

The attacked container vessel was Singapore-flagged and owned by Evergreen, according to Lloyd’s. Dominguez said the ship was not traveling under the IMO evacuation framework at the time of the incident, but the attack nonetheless raised broader concerns over whether commercial vessels can safely navigate the area.

The United States said it was aware of the reports and was reviewing the situation. A U.S. official reiterated that President Donald Trump has made clear Iran must not disrupt the free flow of maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.

The latest incident underscores the uncertainty facing global shipping companies as they attempt to resume operations through one of the world’s most important energy and trade corridors. Although the interim peace deal created hopes for a gradual normalization of traffic, continued attacks and competing route controls suggest that the maritime environment remains highly volatile.

For shipowners and seafarers still stranded in the Gulf, the pause adds another layer of uncertainty. Until safety guarantees are clarified and accepted by all relevant parties, efforts to restore regular shipping through the Strait of Hormuz are likely to remain slow and vulnerable to further disruption.