Belgian Shipowners Warn of Mine Danger as UN Begins Hormuz Evacuation
Belgian shipowners have raised urgent safety concerns as the United Nations International Maritime Organization (IMO) begins implementing a large-scale evacuation of approximately 900 vessels and 11,000 seafarers stranded in the Strait of Hormuz. The Royal Belgian Shipowners Association (KBRV) warned that shipping lanes remain littered with sea mines, making the operation exceptionally hazardous.
“We can assume that the normal shipping routes in the Strait of Hormuz are still strewn with mines,” said Loic Van Staey, Managing Director of the KBRV, in an interview with VRT NWS. “A mine was spotted this weekend, so the risk is real.”
Background: Four Months of Crisis
The evacuation follows a preliminary peace agreement between the United States and Iran, signed on June 17, 2026, which established a 60-day framework for negotiations toward a final peace deal. The crisis began on February 28, when the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran. Iran retaliated by mining the Strait of Hormuz and attacking commercial shipping, effectively closing one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints.
Before the conflict, approximately 20% of global oil supplies passed through the 33-kilometer-wide strait daily, with over 100 vessels transiting each day. The closure triggered the largest oil supply disruption in history, sending oil prices from roughly $60 per barrel to a peak of $120 before settling around $83 by mid-June.
The Evacuation Plan
The IMO, led by Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez, announced the formal evacuation plan on June 23. According to the IMO press release, the 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.
Oman’s Navy has issued a navigation bulletin establishing two temporary maritime corridors for a phased evacuation, as CNBC reported. The prewar shipping lanes remain unsafe due to extensive mining by Iranian forces.
Van Staey stressed that the evacuation must proceed via territorial waters — along the coasts of Oman or Iran — to avoid minefields. The KBRV managing director noted that ships have remained at anchor, ready to depart, and that crews have stayed in work mode throughout the four-month ordeal.
Belgian Interests at Stake
Belgium has direct interests in the crisis. Belgian shipping company CMB.TECH has confirmed that several of its vessels remain trapped in the Persian Gulf, though the crew is reported safe. The Belgian government has already taken proactive steps: Defense Minister Theo Francken ordered the redeployment of the minehunter Primula from the Baltic to the Mediterranean in April, and the vessel departed Zeebrugge on May 28 for standby duty, as The Bulletin reported. Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot has indicated Belgium is open to contributing additional minehunting vessels to the effort.
Broader Geopolitical Implications
The evacuation unfolds against a backdrop of profound uncertainty about the strait’s future. Iranian chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has stated unequivocally that the Strait of Hormuz “will never return to pre-war conditions” and that Iran will manage the waterway through its newly established Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA).
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has firmly rejected any tolls or fees on the waterway, calling it an international shipping route where “no country may collect tolls.” President Donald Trump has threatened to impose US tolls if a final deal is not reached.
Thijs Van de Graaf, a professor at Ghent University, noted that the crisis has fundamentally altered global perceptions of maritime security. “Everyone now knows Iran has a powerful weapon,” he told VRT NWS. “With drones, patrol boats, and mines, they can close the strait.”
What to Watch For
While daily transits have tripled to 93 vessels in recent days — up from just 32 a week earlier — they remain far below prewar levels of over 100 per day. The full evacuation of the remaining 900 ships is expected to take considerable time, and the broader question of whether global shipping patterns will permanently shift away from the Strait of Hormuz remains open.
Van Staey expressed deep skepticism about a full return to the prewar status quo. “A guaranteed and toll-free passage through the Strait of Hormuz is highly unlikely,” he said. For the 11,000 seafarers still trapped, and for the global economy that depends on this waterway, the coming weeks will be critical.