Oman opens temporary Strait of Hormuz corridor as UN-backed evacuation begins

Story Timeline
3 months · 11 summary articles
Oman opens temporary maritime corridor in Strait of Hormuz as UN-backed evacuation scheme begins
Oman opened a temporary maritime corridor in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, allowing vessels to transit the strategic waterway without tolls under a UN-coordinated initiative aimed at easing a months-long logjam that stranded more than 1,150 commercial ships and 11,000 seafarers in the Persian Gulf. The corridor, announced in coordination with the International Maritime Organization (IMO), marks the first concrete step in a broader effort to restore safe passage through one of the world’s most critical chokepoints, where an estimated $125 billion in stranded cargo and vessels has accumulated since tensions escalated earlier this year.
Shipping traffic through the strait has already resumed, with the IMO confirming that the first container and bulk carriers passed through on Wednesday morning. The UN-backed evacuation scheme, launched after months of negotiations, is designed to clear the backlog of vessels trapped since regional conflicts disrupted normal transit routes. According to maritime tracking data cited by the IMO, at least two bulk carriers and one general cargo ship transited the strait within the past 12 hours, signaling the start of a phased resumption of normal operations.
The move follows a joint announcement by Oman and Iran on Tuesday establishing a working group to negotiate the future administration of the strait, with both countries pledging to guarantee safe passage while upholding their sovereign rights over territorial waters. The corridor’s toll-free status, confirmed by multiple regional outlets, underscores the diplomatic urgency to prevent further economic disruption in a waterway that handles roughly 20% of the world’s seaborne oil supply.
US President Donald Trump highlighted the development on social media, noting that Iran was not imposing transit fees—a claim echoed by Omani officials who emphasized the corridor’s temporary nature and its alignment with international maritime law. The IMO has instructed all vessels to coordinate their transit with the organization to ensure orderly movement through the corridor, which is expected to operate alongside ongoing UN-led evacuation efforts.
Maritime analysts warn that while the corridor offers immediate relief, long-term stability in the Strait of Hormuz will depend on sustained diplomatic engagement between Gulf states and the broader international community. The resumption of traffic comes as global oil markets closely monitor the strait’s reopening, with daily vessel traffic now reported at 31 ships—a fraction of pre-crisis levels but a critical step toward normalcy.
Follow us for live European news
- 2
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
2 further sources not geolocated

