International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez on Monday, 3 November 2026 declined to confirm that mines had been cleared from the Strait of Hormuz, reiterating the organisation's advisory against any vessel transiting the critical waterway. Speaking at a Q&A session at IMO headquarters in London, Dominguez said the strait remained unsafe amid sharply conflicting accounts from Iran and the United States over the nature and extent of the mine threat.

What the IMO Chief Said

'There's no confirmation that there are no mines in the region. So I cannot guarantee that it's safe,' Dominguez said. 'That's why we're not recommending anyone to go through the Strait of Hormuz.' He added that vessels had also been struck by unidentified projectiles, and that the chaos of active conflict made it impossible to determine in each case whether incidents involved mines, drones, or missiles.

Dominguez noted that investigations during an ongoing conflict are inherently difficult, but stressed that the uncertainty itself — regardless of cause — sustains the IMO's warning. 'That doesn't change the message that it is just not safe to go through the Strait of Hormuz,' he said.

Conflicting Iranian and US Accounts

Iran has repeatedly asserted that vessels struck mines after deviating into what it describes as 'unauthorised' routes. US Central Command, however, has denied those claims and stated it has cleared mines from the strait's international shipping lanes. The IMO chief said he had received no independent confirmation that the traffic separation scheme — the organisation's designated corridor through the strait — had been cleared. That scheme is currently not in operation.

Vessels still attempting passage have reportedly been using two alternative routes: one running north through Iranian territorial waters under Iranian control, and another to the south near the Omani coast with US naval escorts. Dominguez clarified that the IMO has not formally adopted either arrangement, and therefore cannot vouch for the safety of those routes either.

Scale of the Crisis

The IMO recorded approximately 30 attacks on ships in the strait and surrounding Gulf waters during October alone, making it one of the deadliest months for maritime incidents in the region by that measure, according to Dominguez. Some incidents have caused oil spills and other environmental pollution.

Around 6,000 seafarers remain aboard an estimated 350 to 400 ships stranded in the Gulf region. This comes amid one of the most severe disruptions to global maritime trade since the Red Sea crisis, with the Strait of Hormuz accounting for roughly a fifth of global oil shipments under normal conditions.

Humanitarian Response Under Way

The IMO has been coordinating with regional governments, the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF), and other stakeholders to provide stranded crews with supplies, medical care, mental health support, and assistance with family communications, Dominguez said. The humanitarian dimension of the crisis is compounding pressure on the organisation to broker a verifiable safety framework before shipping companies resume normal transits.

What Comes Next

The IMO's advisory is expected to remain in force until independent mine-clearance verification can be secured from all parties. Industry observers note that without a multilaterally accepted safe-passage protocol, global insurance and freight markets will continue to price in elevated risk for Gulf-bound voyages, prolonging supply-chain disruptions for energy markets worldwide.