Updated
Updated · POLITICO · Jun 25
IMO Pauses 11,000-Seafarer Hormuz Evacuation as Ship Attack Near Oman Lifts Oil 2%
Updated
Updated · POLITICO · Jun 25

IMO Pauses 11,000-Seafarer Hormuz Evacuation as Ship Attack Near Oman Lifts Oil 2%

3 articles · Updated · POLITICO · Jun 25

Summary

  • An IMO plan to move more than 11,000 stranded seafarers through the Strait of Hormuz was put on hold after a vessel near Oman was hit by an unknown projectile, damaging its bridge but causing no casualties.
  • Iran had warned ships earlier Thursday to use its designated transit corridors rather than a more southerly route backed by the U.S., prompting the IMO to recheck whether safety guarantees still held.
  • At least five vessels using the southern corridor turned back by Thursday morning after the warning, even though nearly 50 ships transited the waterway on Wednesday — the highest daily count since the conflict began.
  • U.S. benchmark crude, which had been falling since the recent agreement, jumped more than 2% after the attack, underscoring how quickly shipping disruptions in Hormuz can ripple into energy markets.

Insights

With the UN evacuation halted after one day, is the Strait of Hormuz now a permanent no-go zone for global shipping?
As thousands remain trapped after a new attack, who will guarantee their safety if the UN's plan has already failed?