The UN's International Maritime Organization said Tuesday it will begin evacuating more than 11,000 sailors stranded in the Gulf following a US-Iran deal aimed at ending the West Asia war.
"This large-scale operation will be carried out in close cooperation with Iran, Oman, all other coastal States in the region, the United States and the maritime industry," IMO secretary-general Arsenio Dominguez said in a statement.
"We have secured the necessary safety guarantees and have thoroughly verified the conditions for safe navigation to support these operations," he added.
Shipping traffic has picked up since Iran and the United States agreed last week to re-open the crucial shipping route under an agreement to end the war.
Two temporary routes through the strait could be used under the evacuation plan, with vessels being contacted individually for further instructions, according to Oman's notice to mariners provided by the IMO.
The IMO said it will issue a daily report on the number of ships leaving the region safely.
Iranian forces had effectively closed off the strait after US and Israeli strikes sparked the war on February 28.
The closure of the strait during the war drove up global oil prices and choked off shipments of energy and crucial commodities such as fertiliser.
At least 36 commodity vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, a record level of traffic since the beginning of the war, according to data from the Kpler platform.
"After months of hardship and distress for thousands of innocent seafarers, and negative impact for the whole world, I welcome with deep satisfaction the peace agreement concluded between the United States and Iran," Dominguez said Tuesday.
He added that the deal marks "a decisive step towards restoring maritime security and bringing to an end the unacceptable attacks against civilian shipping."
