<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:
"Times New Roman",serif">A coordinated emergency plan is being finalized to
evacuate hundreds of merchant vessels currently trapped in the Persian Gulf
after seven weeks of military strikes involving the United States, Israel, and
Iran.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:
"Times New Roman",serif">The strategy, overseen by the International Maritime
Organization (IMO), is designed to provide a safe exit for ships caught in the
geopolitical crossfire. However, Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez clarified
during Singapore Maritime Week that the plan will remain on standby until there
are "clear signs of de-escalation" in the region.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:
"Times New Roman",serif">The evacuation framework aims to manage what could be
a highly complex and congested departure process. Officials indicated that the
exit order will be determined by how long crews have been stranded, ensuring
that those who have endured the longest periods of isolation are the first to
reach safety.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:
"Times New Roman",serif"> Any departing
convoys are expected to follow the long-standing Traffic Separation Scheme
(TSS) in the Strait of Hormuz. This internationally recognized route has been
the standard since 1968, though recent weeks have seen the situation
complicated by Iran’s introduction of new routing measures closer to its coast,
which in some cases include transit fees.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:
"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:
"Times New Roman",serif">Finalizing the blueprint requires delicate diplomacy.
The IMO is currently in close coordination with regional littoral
states—specifically Iran and Oman—as well as international flag states to
ensure the evacuation is respected by all military forces operating in the
area.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:
"Times New Roman",serif">The ongoing stalemate underscores the severe risks
currently facing global energy corridors and the urgent need to protect the
welfare of thousands of seafarers caught in the middle of the conflict.<o:p></o:p></span></p>