Media: Maritime crisis deepens as UN agency plans Gulf vessel evacuation

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is preparing an evacuation plan for hundreds of vessels stranded in the Persian Gulf following the onset of US and Israeli strikes on Iran more than seven weeks ago, IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said.

Speaking on the sidelines of Singapore Maritime Week, Dominguez said the plan can only be implemented once there are clear signs of de-escalation, Bloomberg reports.

He added that discussions include establishing an orderly departure system for ships, with priority potentially based on how long crews have been stranded, among other factors.

Any transit operations would follow the long-established Traffic Separation Scheme, which was proposed by Iran and Oman and adopted by the IMO in 1968, Dominguez noted. He also said Iran has developed its own system in recent weeks, including a designated coastal route and, in some cases, payment arrangements.

The IMO is currently coordinating with coastal states, including Iran and Oman, as well as flag states, in order to finalize the evacuation framework.

By Vafa Guliyeva