Oman establishes temporary maritime corridor in Hormuz with IMO coordination
The Sultanate has partnered with the International Maritime Organization to create a transit route for vessels, rejecting transit fees and requiring strict coordination based on announced coordinates.
Oman announced on Tuesday that it had coordinated with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to establish a temporary maritime corridor for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The measure, reported by the state news agency, aims to ensure freedom of navigation in line with international law and the law of the sea, without imposing transit fees.
Vessels wishing to use the corridor must coordinate with the IMO based on coordinates announced by the organisation and Omani authorities. This procedural requirement is designed to manage traffic through the strategic waterway, which has seen heightened instability following recent military strikes by the United States and Israel on Iran.
The initiative comes as the IMO has initiated an evacuation operation for more than 11,000 sailors stranded in the Strait of Hormuz. The agency’s involvement underscores the institutional effort to maintain order in a region where Iran’s military command previously announced the strait was closed to all vessel traffic and threatened to target transiting ships, a claim denied by US Central Command.
Concurrently, Oman and Iran have established a joint working group to examine charges for what they termed maritime service fees in the Strait of Hormuz. This diplomatic channel reflects the broader effort to address the economic and logistical impacts of the escalating conflict, which has seen US forces hit Iran with 49 Tomahawk missiles and Israel conduct strikes on military targets in western and central Iran.
The announcement coincides with broader regional tensions, including reports that Israeli fire killed two people in southern Lebanon despite a ceasefire, and Hezbollah leader Naim Gassem insisting on a complete withdrawal of Israeli troops. Additionally, Iran has stated there are no scheduled visits for inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to nuclear sites earlier bombed by the United States.
The temporary corridor represents a governance-focused response to the security crisis, prioritizing legal frameworks over unilateral restrictions. By coordinating directly with the IMO, Oman seeks to provide a structured pathway for commercial transit while adhering to established international maritime protocols.
