LONDON, June 23 (Xinhua) — The International Maritime Organization (IMO) announced on Tuesday the launch of a plan to evacuate stranded seafarers in the Strait of Hormuz region.
IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said in a statement that the organization will work closely with Iran, Oman and other regional coastal states, the United States, and the international shipping industry to evacuate more than 11,000 seafarers still stranded in the Strait of Hormuz region.
Dominguez said the months-long conflict has caused suffering for a large number of seafarers and impacted global trade. He welcomed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran, calling it an important step toward restoring maritime security in the region and ending attacks on civilian vessels.
Dominguez said the IMO has obtained the necessary security guarantees for implementing the evacuation plan and has fully verified safe navigation conditions in the relevant waters to ensure the smooth progress of the plan. He stressed that the IMO will continue to be committed to ensuring the safety of seafarers and maintaining the smooth flow of global trade.
