Zim Supports Emergency Transport to Repatriate Israelis
Israel has organized a number of emergency transport efforts to aid Israelis caught overseas as the war with Iran began. Included in the efforts, a smaller Zim feeder ship has been pressed into duty to transport critical personnel who have been making their way to a designated collection point reported to be in Cyprus.
The Israeli media outlet Calcalist reports that the Zim Australia is being used to shuttle medical personnel who were overseas back to Israel. It writes that 18 doctors made the 15-hour trip aboard the 12,500 dwt containership, which normally carries 1,155 TEU. Registered in Liberia, the ship has been owned by Zim since 2021.
The medical personnel who are being transported have reportedly been recalled while they were outside the country at medical conventions or on vacation. They made their own way to Cyprus, where the Zim ship is ferrying them back to the Port of Haifa. The first trip was completed on Monday, and the boxship returned to Cyprus for a second trip, due back in Israel on Wednesday. Reuters reports that a total of 40 doctors have been transported between the two voyages organized by the Israeli Transport Ministry.
The use of the Zim ships is critical and is likely to further fuel the discussions in the government over the deal to sell Zim to Hapag-Lloyd. Calcalist had previously reported concerns emerging in parts of the government over the ability of the new Zim, a small firm owned by the investment firm FINI, to continue to meet its government obligations. The investment company would run a firm with 16 smaller ships still controlled by the Israelis, and it asserts the firm would be stronger and more able to meet the government’s needs.
The current repatriation efforts aboard the Zim ship are part of a large effort organized by the government in the hours after the war began. The private marina at Herzliya has opened an emergency terminal to process individuals returning from abroad. It will be receiving civilian ships transporting Israelis home. Israeli airlines have also reportedly organized flights into Egypt and road transportation from there, while there are reports Israel was going to reopen the border crossing with Egypt on Tuesday.
A travel agency has also been commissioned by the government to organize evacuation operations for people caught in Israel, as well as to bring Israelis home. The company has arranged for a passenger ship or ferry, the identity of which was not specified, that will shuttle between Israel and Cyprus. Online, the company reports it is still waiting for the required permits and says the operation is expected to begin shortly.
The Israeli-owned cruise ship Crown Iris was used in June 2025 during the 12-day war with Iran. It was chartered to shuttle passengers back and forth between Cyprus. The cruise ship is currently in Greece during its traditional winter layup.
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Israeli officials said the current operation is providing important connections with the main Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv closed. They had said the campaign of bombing Iran could continue for a few weeks, but the U.S. has said it was working to quickly degrade Iran’s ability to launch missiles and drones into Israel and other neighboring countries.
Top photo by Olaf - courtesy of VesselFinder