'Mental Well-Being' Biggest Fear for Thousands of Seafarers Stranded in the Strait of Hormuz
Shipping traffic remains halted as attacks and seizures leave crews fearing detention, unpaid wages and months-long contracts at sea.
- Approximately 20,000 seafarers remain stranded on some 1,500 vessels in the Hormuz Strait, unable to transit the region amid the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran.
- Iran effectively shut the Hormuz Strait in retaliation for United States and Israel attacks, while simultaneously blockading Iranian ports since April 13 to disrupt Oil exports.
- Crews face severe shortages of Food, Water, and Supplies, with International Transport Workers general secretary Stephen Cotton noting seafarers feel vulnerable to missiles and drones, creating what he termed 'psychological stress.'
- Earlier this week, United States President Donald Trump paused United States efforts to guide ships out of the strait, suspending operations less than 48 hours later to pursue peace talks with Tehran.
- The International Maritime Organization is developing an evacuation plan prioritizing humanitarian needs, though IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez stated all parties must refrain from attacks for the operation to proceed.
12 Articles
12 Articles
Because the Strait of Hormuz is virtually closed, around 1,500 ships are still anchored in the Persian Gulf. This was announced by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). As a result, a total of about twenty thousand crew members are also stranded. "There are shortages on board and very high pressure on the mental health of the crew," says Maurice Jansen, senior researcher in ports and shipping at Erasmus University.
“Absolutely Vulnerable”: Over 20,000 Global South Ship Workers Stranded at Sea Due to Iran War
As Iran and the United States maintain rival blockades on the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waters, we look at the more than 20,000 seafarers stranded on commercial ships since the outbreak of the war and unable to move out of the region. These maritime workers are often working-class men from developing countries across the Global South who form the crews on about 1,500 oil tankers, cargo ships and other vessels currently stuck on the water.
'Mental well-being' biggest fear for thousands of seafarers stranded in the Strait of Hormuz
Food and water remain a significant concern for many of the thousands of seafarers stranded on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. But the "the biggest fear for everybody is their mental well-being," says the general secretary of the International Transport Workers' Federation.
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