IMO Halts Hormuz Evacuation After Iranian Drone Strikes Singapore-Flagged Cargo Vessel
The International Maritime Organization paused its evacuation plan for over 11,000 seafarers stranded in the Persian Gulf after an Iranian drone struck the Singapore-flagged container ship *Ever Lovely* in the Strait of Hormuz, causing damage but no casualties. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy warned that only Tehran-designated routes were safe, turning back several vessels and declaring the Omani southern route unacceptable. The attack, confirmed by U.S. and Iranian officials, undermines recent US-Iran peace talks and has shattered shipping confidence, with traffic remaining below pre-war levels.
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Iran strike on cargo ship halts UN-backed evacuation of stranded seafarers via Strait of Hormuz
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has paused a fledgling effort to evacuate more than 11,000 seafarers stranded in the Persian Gulf since the start of the Iran war. This follows a drone strike by Iran on a cargo vessel, which caused damage but no casualties. The vessel targeted was not part of the IMO's evacuation framework, but the incident prompted the UN body to suspend the plan until safety guarantees are clarified. Hours before the attack, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned that any transit outside routes authorized by Iran is 'unacceptable and completely dangerous.' The alternate passage, which hugs Oman's coast, would relieve pressure on the world economy but risks removing Iran's main leverage in ongoing peace talks. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, visiting the Gulf, reaffirmed Washington's commitment to free passage through the strait.
TheWeek feedIran strike on ship halts UN evacuation of stranded seafarers via Hormuz
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) paused its nascent effort to evacuate over 11,000 seafarers stranded in the Persian Gulf after Iran struck a cargo vessel with a drone, causing damage but no casualties. The IMO had begun shepherding ships through the Strait of Hormuz along a route hugging Oman's coast earlier this week, following an agreement with the US. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned that transiting outside 'authorized' routes was 'unacceptable and completely dangerous.' IMO chief Arsenio Dominguez said the evacuation plan would be paused until safety guarantees were clarified. Secretary of State Marco Rubio assured Gulf allies of US commitment to the new route and free passage. Analysts note that alternate passage could relieve pressure on the global economy but would remove Iran's main leverage in peace talks.
TheWeek feedIMO Suspends Persian Gulf Evacuation After Iranian Drone Strike Near Strait of Hormuz
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has suspended its evacuation operation for hundreds of ships and thousands of sailors trapped in the Persian Gulf following an Iranian drone attack on a cargo vessel owned by Taiwan's Evergreen Marine near the coast of Oman. The attack, attributed to Iran's Revolutionary Guard, occurred on a route recommended by UKMTO, though the vessel was not part of the IMO evacuation list. The crew and cargo are safe, and the ship has departed the Strait of Hormuz. The IRGC has since ordered all vessels to use only routes designated by Iran, warning of action against non-compliance. Three foreign tankers have already changed course. The suspension of the IMO operation, launched June 23, comes despite a U.S.-Iran ceasefire and the signed Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding. The blockage, which began in February-March following U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran, has trapped ships, halted oil exports, and spiked global fuel prices. IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez stated the halt is necessary to reconfirm security guarantees for evacuation vessels.
Defence24.comShipping Confidence in Strait of Hormuz Remains Shaky After Attack
Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has partially recovered over the past week, but shipowner confidence remains fragile after a Thursday attack on the container ship Ever Lovely in the Gulf of Oman. Vessel tracking data shows two crude tankers heading out and four empty supertankers moving inbound near the Omani coast on Friday. Some shipowners and Asia-based shipping companies have suspended or reversed transit plans pending further safety information. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has paused its vessel evacuation plan from the Persian Gulf to ensure a coordinated response. Meanwhile, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed on Telegram that vessels in the southern corridor were ordered to turn back, with maritime intelligence firm Windward identifying five vessels exhibiting unusual behavior. Despite these disruptions, oil cargo flows have partially resumed, and crude oil prices were on track for a weekly loss as markets cautiously assess the supply situation.
OilPrice.com Daily News UpdateUN Agency Halts Hormuz Ship Evacuation After Tanker Attack Amid Iran Tensions
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has paused its plan to evacuate ships and seafarers stranded in the Middle East Gulf after a Singapore-flagged Evergreen container ship was struck by a projectile near the coast of Oman. A U.S. official indicated Iran was responsible for the attack. The evacuation plan, launched on Tuesday, offered two routes: a northern route via Iranian waters or a southern route under U.S. oversight. Iran’s military warned vessels against using the southern route, calling it unacceptable and claiming Tehran's approval is required. At least two vessels performed U-turns after Iran's warning. Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz had partially recovered following a 60-day interim peace deal between the U.S. and Iran, but remains well below pre-war levels. IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez stated the pause is to reconfirm safety guarantees. The attacked vessel did not transit under the IMO framework.
US Top News and AnalysisIMO Halts Strait of Hormuz Ship Evacuation After Iranian Drone Strikes Cargo Vessel
The United Nations International Maritime Organization (IMO) has paused its plan to evacuate hundreds of ships stranded in the Persian Gulf after a cargo vessel was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz. A U.S. official confirmed the attack was carried out by an Iranian drone, which Iranian officials also acknowledged. The evacuation plan, developed with Oman, aimed to provide safe passage through a southern route along the Omani coastline, but the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGC-N) warned that only routes designated by Tehran were safe and claimed to have turned back several vessels. The targeted ship, the Singapore-flagged Ever Lovely, was hit on its starboard side by an unknown projectile near Oman; no casualties were reported. IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez stated the pause is necessary to reconfirm safety guarantees, emphasizing the risk to seafarers as collateral victims in the geopolitical conflict. Maritime intelligence firm Windward noted the IRGC-N's stance marks a reversal of the normalization trajectory following the recent U.S.-Iran Memorandum of Understanding.
TWZIMO Pauses Strait of Hormuz Ship Evacuation After Iranian Drone Strikes Cargo Vessel
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has paused its plan to evacuate hundreds of ships stranded in the Persian Gulf after a Singapore-flagged cargo vessel, the Ever Lovely, was struck by an Iranian drone in the Strait of Hormuz. The attack, confirmed by US and Iranian officials, occurred as shipping traffic was slowly resuming amid US-Iran peace talks. The IMO's evacuation plan, developed with Oman, aimed to provide safe passage via a southern route along the Omani coastline. However, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGC-N) warned that only routes designated by Tehran were safe, turned back several ships, and declared the southern route 'unacceptable.' While the attacked vessel was not part of the IMO evacuation, the IMO Secretary-General paused the operation to reconfirm safety guarantees. The incident marks a reversal in normalization following the US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding, with maritime intelligence firms observing multiple vessels being ordered to turn back.
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