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International Maritime Organization Pauses Hormuz Evacuation After Ship Is Struck

The suspension heightens doubts about the 60‑day U.S.‑Iran memorandum by increasing the chance that Iran will press to control and regulate transit through the chokepoint.

Overview

  • A Singapore‑flagged container ship was hit about 7.5 nautical miles off Oman's coast, suffering bridge damage but no reported casualties, and the vessel later resumed its voyage.
  • Two U.S. officials and multiple maritime reports said Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps carried out the attack using a drone or projectile, though Iran denies some outside characterizations.
  • The United Nations' International Maritime Organization paused its voluntary evacuation plan for hundreds of ships and thousands of seafarers to reconfirm safety guarantees after the strike.
  • Iran's new Persian Gulf Strait Authority warned that vessels using routes it does not approve will receive no safe‑passage guarantees or insurance coverage, directly challenging the 60‑day toll‑free MOU.
  • Markets and shipping reacted immediately with a short oil price bounce and slower transits, and experts warn that higher insurance, demining needs, and coordination gaps could delay a full recovery of flows for weeks to months.