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The International Maritime Organization (IMO), a UN agency, has announced the launch of a rescue operation for ships and crew members stranded in the Strait of Hormuz. Following the signing of a ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran, attention is now focused on whether the number of merchant vessels passing through the strait—currently limited to a maximum of about 30 per day—will increase rapidly.

Reporter Gwak Sang-eun has the story.

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A rescue plan is being put into full swing for ships and crew members who have been isolated in the Persian Gulf for nearly four months since the outbreak of the U.S.-Iran war in late February.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) stated that it has secured the necessary safety guarantees and confirmed conditions for safe navigation, adding that it has begun individual contact with the stranded vessels.

IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez emphasized in a statement that this large-scale operation will be carried out through close cooperation with all coastal states in the region, including Iran and Oman, as well as the United States and the maritime industry.

Currently, there are approximately 11,000 crew members and hundreds of ships stranded in the waters.

These vessels will use a temporary route coordinated by Omani authorities and the IMO as an evacuation path, rather than the shipping lanes that separated entry and exit from the Strait of Hormuz before the war.

This is because risks such as "floating mines" remain in the waters around the Strait of Hormuz.

Ships intending to use this temporary route must undergo prior consultation based on coordinates released by the IMO and Omani authorities, and will receive additional instructions individually.

The Omani Ministry of Defense stated that this measure is intended to guarantee freedom of navigation without imposing tolls in the Strait of Hormuz, in accordance with international law.

Following the ceasefire agreement, at least 36 merchant ships passed through the Strait of Hormuz on June 22, marking the highest daily volume since late February, and traffic is gradually increasing.

However, compared to the approximately 120 ships that passed through the Strait of Hormuz daily before the war, the traffic volume remains at a very low level.

(Video Editing: Jo Mu-hwan)