Ships already sailing through Hormuz under UN evacuation scheme, agency says
Vessels at the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, Wednesday. Reuters-Yonhap
LONDON — Ships have already sailed through the Strait of Hormuz under a newly launched evacuation scheme by the U.N's shipping agency, a spokesperson said on Wednesday.
"Ships have already begun to pass under the plan," a spokesperson with the U.N's International Maritime Organization (IMO) said, declining to provide any details on the vessels that had crossed.
At least two dry bulk ships and one cargo ship have sailed through Hormuz under the scheme in past 12 hours, London Stock Exchange (LSEG) ship tracking data showed on Wednesday.
At least 35 other commercial ships, mainly dry bulk, cargo and container vessels were preparing to sail through the strait, according to LSEG and MarineTraffic ship tracking data based on Reuters analysis of ship movements. The scheme, which has taken months to conclude, will enable hundreds of ships with some 11,000 seafarers stranded in the Gulf to sail through Hormuz, the IMO said on Tuesday.