IMO says Iran and Oman will begin large-scale evacuation of stranded seafarers in Hormuz

The International Maritime Organization says Iran and Oman will begin a large-scale evacuation of stranded seafarers in the Strait of Hormuz, setting up the first major effort to move crews trapped by months of disruption in one of the world’s most sensitive shipping lanes.

The operation is expected to involve more than 11,000 seafarers stuck on vessels in and around the waterway, according to reporting cited by the IMO. Axios reported that as many as 600 ships were stranded in the region.

IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said 14 seafarers have died during the conflict, Axios reported. He also said the evacuation involves the United States, Iran, Oman and other parties.

How the evacuation was announced

The latest reporting follows earlier signs that the IMO was trying to build a safe-transit mechanism for the corridor. In April, The Guardian reported that the organization was already working with relevant parties on a framework to guarantee safe navigation through the strait.

That April reporting also quoted Dominguez as saying the priority was an evacuation that protects the safety of navigation. The new announcement suggests that planning has now advanced from general coordination to a large-scale evacuation effort.

Axios reported on June 23 that the IMO planned to evacuate more than 11,000 stranded sailors from the Strait of Hormuz. A follow-up report in the New York Post on June 24 framed the next step more directly, saying Iran and Oman would begin a large-scale evacuation of stranded seafarers in Hormuz.

Why the strait matters

The Strait of Hormuz is a critical chokepoint for global energy trade, so any disruption there has consequences far beyond the vessels trapped in the area. Shipping through the waterway was heavily affected during the 2026 Iran war, leaving crews and cargo ships waiting for months.

The Guardian reported in April that roughly 2,000 ships and 20,000 seafarers had already been stranded in the Gulf since the conflict began in February. That earlier figure underscores how long the problem had been building before the evacuation plan reached its current stage.

The latest reports suggest that the humanitarian and logistical pressure has grown severe enough to force a coordinated release of crews. The focus is no longer only on restoring traffic, but also on getting people off ships that have been unable to move.

Who is involved

The reported evacuation effort is multilateral. Axios described it as an IMO-coordinated operation involving the U.S., Iran, Oman and other parties.

The New York Post, by contrast, framed the development as Iran and Oman beginning the evacuation under the IMO’s direction. The difference in wording suggests that the same operation may be described either as a multilateral maritime plan or as a bilateral move by the two regional states at its center.

The report also said shipmasters are being told to await direct instructions. That indicates the public announcement is not the final operational order, and that crews still need formal direction before moving.

Safety, routes and oversight

The key condition now appears to be whether designated safe routes can be used under an agreed safety framework. Axios said the evacuation is expected to begin once ships are cleared to transit those routes through the strait.

The New York Post reported that safety guarantees are in place to start the process, but it did not say the evacuation was already complete or fully underway. That leaves the practical details of routing, clearance and timing as the central unknowns.

The reporting also points to a dispute over how the corridor should be managed. The New York Post said Oman wants free navigation without transit fees, while Iran has floated charging for maritime services.

That issue matters because even a safety agreement may not settle the broader question of corridor oversight. If fees, services or authority over transit remain contested, the evacuation could proceed in stages rather than as a single coordinated movement.

What happens next

The immediate question is when the first ships or crews will actually move. Reporting so far indicates the evacuation will begin only once the route and safety instructions are clear.

It is also not yet clear whether Iran and Oman will issue separate notices or a single coordinated instruction set. For operators and seafarers, the practical need is the same: a direct order telling them when and how to sail.

Another open question is how many ships and crew remain stranded as of now. The most specific figure in the latest reporting is more than 11,000 seafarers, but the broader backlog described earlier this year suggests the disruption reached far beyond that core group.

For now, the planned evacuation marks a major step toward resolving a crisis that has tied up crews, ships and regional shipping flows for months. Whether it becomes a fast release or a slow, negotiated process will depend on the safe-route framework and the instructions that follow.