11,000 Seafarers, Still Stranded: What the IMO's Hormuz Evacuation Plan Means

The Situation

Since 28 February 2026, when the US and Israel launched an air campaign against Iran, shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has been largely blocked. Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) responded by forbidding passage, boarding and attacking merchant ships, and laying sea mines in the strait. Fourteen seafarers have been killed. More than 11,000 remain stranded aboard vessels in the Gulf region — some for months.

The Evacuation Plan

In June 2026, the IMO began implementing an evacuation plan, developed in close cooperation with Iran, Oman, other coastal states, the United States, and the maritime industry, and linked to the ongoing Memorandum of Understanding talks between Iran and the US. The plan identifies two temporary sea lanes: a Northern route close to the Iranian coastline, and a Southern route through the waters of Oman and the UAE. Coordination runs through UKMTO and the MICA Center, with masters expected to conduct independent risk assessments before selecting a route. Known hazards along the way include mines, degraded navigation conditions, and high traffic density, with the normal Traffic Separation Scheme unavailable.

Implementation has not been straightforward. The plan was paused after a further attack in the strait, underlining how unresolved the underlying conflict remains.

What ICS Is Saying

The International Chamber of Shipping has welcomed the plan as a step toward better coordination and restoring freedom of navigation, but has stressed that the priority is the safe evacuation of the seafarers still stranded, and that the plan must work alongside — not conflict with — existing coordination mechanisms between the IMO, regional states, and the industry itself.