The International Maritime Organization (IMO), the UN agency that oversees safety and security in global shipping, said Tuesday that a plan is under way to evacuate 11,000 seafarers stranded in the Strait of Hormuz.

Speaking to journalists in New York, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric read out a statement from the IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez, which called the operation "a significant step towards alleviating the humanitarian impact of the crisis on thousands of seafarers who have endured months of uncertainty, months of unrestricted movements and mounting welfare concerns."

 "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," the statement added.