IMO Prepares Mass Evacuation Plan for Hundreds of Ships Trapped in Persian Gulf

The International Maritime Organization is actively developing a contingency plan to evacuate hundreds of commercial vessels currently stranded in the Persian Gulf. The ships have been effectively trapped for over seven weeks, a direct consequence of ongoing US and Israeli military strikes against Iran, which have severely disrupted one of the world's most critical maritime chokepoints.

IMO Secretary General Arsenio Dominguez confirmed the operation, highlighting the scale of the logistical and security challenge. The plan underscores the prolonged and severe disruption to global trade flows, with the Strait of Hormuz—a passage for about a fifth of the world's seaborne oil—at the center of the crisis. The mere preparation of such a large-scale evacuation signals the persistent and elevated risk to maritime safety and regional stability.

The development places intense operational pressure on the IMO, flag states, and shipping companies, and raises the specter of further supply chain shocks. A coordinated evacuation under threat of conflict would be a complex, high-stakes undertaking, with significant implications for global energy security and insurance markets. The situation remains a volatile flashpoint, with the safety of crews and vessels hanging in the balance.