Evergreen Container Ship Attacked: IMO Suspends Emergency Evacuation Operation in the Strait of Hormuz

Efforts to restore commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz have suffered a major setback after an Evergreen container vessel was attacked shortly after completing its transit through the waterway. The incident prompted the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to suspend its operation to evacuate stranded vessels from the Gulf, while intensifying concerns over the feasibility of reopening one of the world's most critical maritime trade routes.

Ever Lovely Attacked by Drone After Transiting Hormuz

According to preliminary reports, the 9,532-TEU container ship Ever Lovely was struck by a drone yesterday after sailing through the southern transit corridor of the Strait of Hormuz, near the coast of Oman.

At the time of the attack, Ever Lovely was transiting alongside two other Evergreen container vessels: Ever Lotus (8,500 TEU) and Ever Unicorn (5,600 TEU).

Evergreen confirmed that no crew members were injured and that the vessel sustained only minor damage, remaining fully seaworthy and capable of continuing its voyage. Automatic Identification System (AIS) data also showed that Ever Lovely had safely departed the area and is currently en route to Singapore.

The incident occurred just as vessel traffic through Hormuz had begun showing signs of recovery following the IMO's announcement of an emergency evacuation corridor and Oman's designation of six eastbound waypoints authorized for navigation - marking the first officially recognized safe maritime corridor since the strait was effectively closed.

IMO Suspends Emergency Evacuation Operation

Following the attack, IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez announced that the evacuation operation would be temporarily suspended while the organization reassesses the safety assurances previously secured from the relevant parties.

Dominguez stated: "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."

The evacuation initiative had originally been developed to assist more than 11,000 seafarers stranded in the Gulf after months of severe disruption to maritime traffic.

Earlier this week, the IMO announced that the operation would be carried out in coordination with Iran, Oman, other coastal states, the United States, and the international maritime community. The organization also stated that it had received the necessary assurances to ensure safe navigation.

However, the attack on Ever Lovely has now put those assurances to a new test.

Gaps in the Agreement Continue to Raise Concerns

The Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO) expressed deep concern over the incident, describing it as a setback for efforts to evacuate stranded vessels and restore commercial transits through the Strait of Hormuz.

A BIMCO representative commented: "The attack is a setback in the plans to evacuate ships and resume transits through the Strait of Hormuz."

Despite the incident, BIMCO said it still expects some commercial transits to proceed in the coming days.

The organization also argued that the attack underscores the need for clearer agreements between Washington and Tehran. According to BIMCO, the provisions of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the United States and Iran remain insufficiently defined to give shipping companies and vessel operators the confidence needed to resume normal operations.

In particular, the agreement still lacks clarity regarding the mechanisms for guaranteeing the safety of commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

This uncertainty has become one of the primary concerns influencing shipowners' and operators' decisions on whether to resume transits through the waterway.

Iran has warned that vessels using shipping routes not designated by Tehran will not be covered by its safety guarantees. Meanwhile, the corridor established by Oman and the IMO was specifically designed as an alternative route to enable stranded vessels to exit the Gulf.

Iran's Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA) has likewise stated that any transit conducted outside its designated routing system will fall outside the scope of its safety guarantees.

Iran Orders Several Vessels to Turn Back

Developments on the ground continue to demonstrate that maritime security conditions in the Strait of Hormuz remain highly fragile.

According to maritime intelligence firm Windward, Iran instructed vessels navigating the southern corridor to reverse course yesterday. Vessel tracking data indicated that five ships turned around, while another vessel switched off its AIS signal entirely, further heightening concerns over navigational risks in the region.

The attack on Ever Lovely highlights the continuing challenges facing efforts to restore commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Until a comprehensive and mutually accepted maritime security framework is established among the parties involved, any unexpected security incident could delay the normalization of shipping operations along one of the world's most strategically important maritime corridors.

See more:

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Source: Phaata.com (According to Splash247)

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