By Emmanuel Bobby
The United Nations’ maritime agency has temporarily suspended its evacuation program for commercial vessels attempting to leave the Strait of Hormuz after a cargo ship was struck by a projectile in the Gulf of Oman, raising new concerns about the security of one of the world’s most important shipping lanes.
The decision marks another setback for international efforts to restore normal maritime traffic through the strategic waterway following weeks of regional tensions. Hundreds of ships and thousands of seafarers remain affected as uncertainty over safe passage continues despite an earlier agreement intended to reopen the route.
Arsenio Dominguez, Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), announced Thursday that the organization was pausing the evacuation framework after learning of the latest attack on a commercial vessel.
According to Dominguez, the damaged ship had passed through the Strait of Hormuz independently and was not operating under the U.N.-coordinated evacuation program. Nevertheless, the incident prompted officials to reassess security conditions before allowing additional vessels to proceed under the humanitarian initiative.
“I have decided to temporarily pause its implementation in order to reconfirm that the necessary safety guarantees continue to be in place for the ships on our evacuation list and all those in the region,” Dominguez said.
Earlier in the day, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre, operated by the British Royal Navy to support commercial shipping in high-risk waters, reported that a cargo vessel off the coast of Oman had been struck by what it described as an “unknown projectile.” The attack damaged the ship’s bridge, though no injuries were reported among the crew. Officials have not publicly identified the vessel responsible for the incident or determined who launched the projectile.
The attack immediately heightened concerns that the fragile security environment around the Strait of Hormuz remains unstable despite recent diplomatic efforts aimed at reopening one of the world’s busiest energy corridors.
Complicating matters further, Iran issued a warning Thursday declaring that any commercial vessel failing to follow its preferred navigation route along the Iranian coastline could face consequences.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Navy criticized the internationally recommended transit route coordinated by the IMO, describing it as unauthorized and dangerous.
Iranian military officials stated that certain international authorities had announced a new shipping corridor without consulting Tehran and warned that vessels using the alternative route would be “dealt with accordingly,” although no further explanation was provided regarding possible enforcement measures.
The warning has created additional uncertainty for shipping companies already weighing the risks of returning to the Gulf.
The original U.S.-Iran agreement that temporarily eased regional tensions included provisions intended to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to commercial navigation. That agreement provided immediate relief for global energy markets, shipping firms, and thousands of sailors who had been stranded in the Persian Gulf during weeks of heightened military activity.
However, significant questions remained unresolved, including responsibility for maritime security, the removal of suspected naval mines, and procedures governing vessel movements through the narrow waterway.
Speaking during a diplomatic tour of Gulf nations, Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that international shipping lanes should remain open to all nations.
“The waters of the Strait of Hormuz do not belong to any nation state,” Rubio said while meeting regional leaders.
Despite the reopening agreement, shipping traffic remains well below normal levels as many companies continue exercising caution before sending vessels through the area.
Marine tracking data showed that several ships continued using the route passing near Oman’s coastline rather than entering waters closer to Iran.
Among them was the Liberian-flagged cargo vessel Stoic Warrior, which successfully departed the Persian Gulf by closely following the coastlines of the United Arab Emirates and Oman before navigating around the Musandam Peninsula.
The British-flagged vessel World Prize also appeared to be using the Omani route, while approximately two dozen additional ships followed similar paths during the day.
Not every voyage was completed successfully. Marine tracking information indicated that at least three vessels attempting to exit the Persian Gulf later reversed course, highlighting the continuing uncertainty facing commercial operators.
One encouraging development came from global shipping company Hapag-Lloyd, which confirmed that none of its vessels remain stranded in the Strait of Hormuz.
The company said every ship under its management had safely departed the Gulf after conducting extensive security assessments and coordinating closely with maritime authorities, onboard crews, and regional security partners.
Nevertheless, industry experts caution that vessel movements remain far below pre-conflict levels.
Halvor Ellefsen, a director at Fearnleys Shipbrokers, noted that most current departures involve ships already waiting in the region rather than newly loaded cargoes.
“Most of what we’ve seen so far is inventories being shipped out, not much if any fresh loadings in the Gulf,” he explained.
While activity remains limited, even the gradual return of shipping has helped calm global energy markets.
According to maritime analytics firm Kpler, approximately 35 million barrels of oil have exited the region through the Strait of Hormuz since the reopening agreement took effect.
More than 70 commercial vessels have transited the waterway since Wednesday. Although that represents a significant improvement over recent weeks, it remains well below the more than 130 daily ship movements typically recorded before the conflict disrupted operations.
The improvement in maritime traffic has also contributed to declining oil prices.
Brent crude, the international benchmark, has fallen to around $72 per barrel after surging as high as $126 during the height of regional tensions, reflecting renewed confidence that global energy supplies will continue flowing despite ongoing risks.
Even so, analysts believe a full recovery will take time.
Ellefsen said it could be several weeks before oil production and exports across Gulf nations return to normal operating levels.
Lloyd’s List Intelligence echoed that assessment, noting that tanker operators appear eager to maximize exports during the current 60-day reopening period before uncertainty potentially returns.
Earlier this week, the International Maritime Organization unveiled an ambitious evacuation plan aimed at assisting approximately 11,000 stranded seafarers throughout the Gulf region after securing safety assurances from participating authorities.
Before the program was suspended, 57 ships carrying roughly 1,100 seafarers had safely transited the Strait of Hormuz under the U.N.-coordinated framework.
Oman also introduced detailed navigation guidelines to support vessels sailing along its coastline, including designated waiting areas and estimated transit times for each section of the route.
Iran’s latest warning against using that corridor has now complicated those carefully coordinated efforts.
For weeks, Tehran has also sought to impose transit charges on vessels using routes through its territorial waters, despite repeated objections from the United States and several international partners.
President Donald Trump recently stated that Iranian officials had assured Washington no passage tolls would be collected following last week’s agreement.
Rubio reinforced the American position during meetings in Bahrain, saying that no nation has the authority to charge fees for passage through internationally recognized waterways.
Regional leaders also voiced concern over the evolving situation.
Senior United Arab Emirates diplomat Anwar Gargash warned that attempts to impose new geopolitical realities through force would undermine regional stability rather than strengthen it.
He argued that creating permanent changes through military pressure would only increase future tensions throughout the Gulf and make long-term peace more difficult to achieve.
With security concerns once again dominating one of the world’s busiest maritime corridors, international shipping companies, energy markets, and governments will be closely monitoring developments as the United Nations evaluates when it can safely resume its evacuation program.
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