France and Oman have agreed to collaborate with international partners on demining the Strait of Hormuz after the United Nations’ International Maritime Organization (IMO) suspended the planned evacuation of vessels after an Evergreen containership was attacked.
The announcement on demining the waterway was made by French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday following a visit from the Sultan of Oman. This follows a drop in traffic through the Strait of Hormuz after traffic slowed over the weekend after the Singapore-flagged Ever Lovely was hit by projectiles following a recommended route through the strait. In total, 29 ships crossed on Saturday and 12 on Sunday, according to data from the maritime tracking firm Kpler.
The evacuation effort by the IMO was announced last week following the reopening of the strait, with IMO leader Arsenio Dominguez confirming that the “large-scale operation” had the cooperation of Iran, Oman, the United States, as well as other states in the region and the maritime industry. “I have always reiterated that the safety of the seafarers remains paramount. Therefore, to ensure a coordinated approach and navigational safety, the evacuation plan will be paused until further clarity is obtained,” said Dominguez. Hundreds of ships and thousands of sailors have been stranded in the Gulf since February.
The latest regional update from Move One can be reviewed here.
IAM Member Impact: IAM repeats the advice from members in the region to maintain contingency routings and the transit times quoted throughout the conflict.
Member Contributions: Move One