The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has suspended its coordinated evacuation of merchant vessels from the Persian Gulf after an Evergreen containership was attacked shortly after transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
The Singapore-flagged Ever Lovely (104,357 dwt, 9,532 TEU) was struck by a drone after using the southern transit route along the Omani side of the Strait on 25 June. The vessel was sailing with two other Evergreen ships – Ever Lotus and Ever Unicorn – as part of an effort to leave the Gulf.
According to Evergreen, no crew members were injured and the damage was limited. The ship remained seaworthy and AIS data showed it had safely exited the area and was proceeding toward Singapore.
Earlier, UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that the vessel had been struck on its starboard side approximately 7.5 nautical miles southeast of Dahit, Oman. The attack damaged the bridge.
The incident prompted the IMO to immediately suspend its evacuation programme, which had been launched only days earlier to help more than 11,000 seafarers stranded in the Persian Gulf following months of regional conflict.
IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said the organization had decided to temporarily pause the operation while reassessing whether adequate security guarantees remain in place.
“Following the launch of the IMO’s evacuation plan, through which several vessels have already been successfully evacuated, I have decided to temporarily pause its implementation,” Dominguez said.
The IMO emphasized that Ever Lovely was not sailing under the organization’s evacuation framework when it was attacked. Before the suspension, the evacuation programme had already enabled 57 vessels carrying approximately 1,100 seafarers to leave the region.
The attack came after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) renewed warnings that merchant ships should only transit the Strait of Hormuz via routes designated by Iranian authorities. Broadcast messages reportedly warned vessels using alternative routes that they would bear responsibility for any consequences.
Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA) also stated that ships sailing outside its designated transit framework would not receive safe-passage guarantees or insurance protection.
The conflicting guidance has created growing uncertainty for shipowners. While the IMO and Oman established a southern evacuation corridor to facilitate the safe departure of stranded vessels, Tehran insists that only the northern route under Iranian supervision should be used.
Maritime analytics firm Windward reported that following the Iranian warnings, five merchant ships reversed course while a sixth vessel switched off its AIS signal.
The attack has also cast doubt over plans to gradually restore commercial shipping through one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints.
Shipping association BIMCO described the incident as “a setback” for efforts to resume normal vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. The organization said the attack highlights the need for clearer agreements between Washington and Tehran, arguing that the current U.S.-Iran memorandum remains too ambiguous regarding navigation arrangements.
Despite the deterioration in security, some shipping companies have continued evacuating vessels from the Gulf.
Maersk confirmed that Maersk Baltimore had successfully departed the Persian Gulf alongside another chartered vessel after conducting security assessments. The company said it still has three vessels remaining in the region and plans one additional transit. Of the approximately 47,000 containers destined for Gulf ports, 44,000 have already been delivered, while around 3,000 remain pending.
Hapag-Lloyd also confirmed that all of its vessels previously stranded in the Persian Gulf have now safely exited the region, although the company declined to disclose operational details for security reasons.
The IMO said the evacuation operation will remain suspended until it can verify that sufficient safeguards are once again in place for vessels and their crews.
