GCC asked to help evacuate 20,000 Hormuz seafarers

• UN calls for urgency to secure transit
• 2,500 ships stranded in region
• Crews need supplies and support

The head of the UN’s International Maritime Organization (IMO) wants to work with GCC countries on a “safe-passage framework” to evacuate 20,000 seafarers from the Gulf.

Speaking to AGBI at the close of an extraordinary session in London on Thursday, its secretary-general Arsenio Dominguez said he will begin talks with GCC countries from Monday after Ramadan.

Calling for a coordinated, internationally recognised approach, the UN shipping regulator chief said urgent work was needed to ensure safe transit of tens of thousands of crew from the Strait of Hormuz.

“The main objective is to assist the seafarers and the vessels currently inside the Gulf,” he said. “We need to work with all stakeholders – particularly countries in the region – to agree on the steps required for ships to start evacuating safely.”

Describing the situation as a “humanitarian crisis”, Dominguez pledged to develop a mechanism respected by all parties, allowing ships to begin moving east of the contested strait.

He declined to be drawn on how such a framework would cost or operate in practice, including whether seafarers would be allowed to disembark or whether vessels themselves would be guided out of the region.

“I need to look into what proposals these countries have, what ideas they have as well, and how this is going to operate,” he said.

“We need to look into the number of vessels, those that need more assistance, and how long they have been without supplies.”

International Maritime Organization

The effectiveness of any framework will depend on cooperation from all sides involved in the conflict – something that may prove difficult to secure without broader de-escalation.

A trickle of ships have recently passed through an “Iran-approved” corridor close to Larak Island off the coast of Iran for verification checks, according to maritime news outlet Lloyd’s List.

At least nine vessels were tracked taking the detour into Iranian waters, routing around the island in the northern part of the contested waterway. One ship paid $2 million to transit between the island and the mainland, the publication reported.

But 2,500 ships remain stranded in the region as the Iran war disrupts one of the world’s most critical shipping lanes.

Conditions onboard some vessels remain difficult, with the UN meeting hearing of mounting psychological strain among crews.

Dominguez acknowledged the role played by Gulf states in supporting stranded seafarers in a conflict.

“Countries in the region have been providing assistance to vessels despite the difficulties,” he said, pointing to ongoing efforts to supply food, water and welfare support.

At the same time, the UN chief said he is working with industry bodies, including the International Transport Workers’ Federation, to gather real-time feedback from crews and prioritise support.

Mohamed Arrachedi, a network coordinator for the trade union in the Arab world and Iran, said scores of his members were asking to be urgently evacuated from ships.

But because of a lack of flights, visa issues when coming ashore, and operators needing to keep ships crewed, many remain stuck.

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“They are worried, they are concerned, and their families are as well. And we are getting more and more of these calls these days,” said Arrachedi.

Dominguez admitted there are currently “challenges” in supporting crews.

“It is a conflict zone, and that increases the burden on countries in the region to provide supplies. But we are not forgetting about the seafarers.”

“Shipping is resilient,” he said. “But we are moving from one difficult situation to another. It is time for the world to recognise how vital it is.”