Evacuation of hundreds of ships is being prepared

“The plan can only be implemented when there are clear signs of de-escalation,” said Dominguez on the sidelines of the Singapore Maritime Week. The details under discussion include the order in which ships would depart, depending on how long their crews have been stranded, among other factors.

“Each transit would follow a long-established route – a traffic separation scheme proposed by Iran and Oman and adopted by the IMO in 1968,” Dominguez said.

Iran has developed a system over recent weeks that includes a specific route near its coastline and, in some cases, payment.

The IMO is in contact with coastal states, including Iran and Oman, as well as flag states, in order to finalize the plan.