Hormuz evacuation plans emerge after months of gridlock

This temporary corridor is designed to allow stranded vessels to exit the strait in controlled groups, a measure deemed necessary as Iran is believed to have mined other typical shipping lanes. The specific number of ships that can cross daily while demining operations are underway remains unclear. A senior Omani military official cautioned about an "elevated risk of collision," emphasizing the need for a "gradual and controlled evacuation."

The Oman Navy has set up northern and southern evacuation routes near the coasts of Oman and Iran, with each ship assigned a specific crossing window. The closure of Hormuz, which previously handled about 20 percent of daily energy output, has severely impacted oil supplies, particularly for Asian countries, and threatened a global recession. The disruption has also affected other commodities like natural gas, fertilizer, and helium.