Vessels navigate the Strait of Hormuz. [AP]
Vessels navigate the Strait of Hormuz. [AP]

Six months into the war between the United States and Iran, the ordeal of seafarers trapped in the Strait of Hormuz shows no sign of ending. Iran's effective blockade of the waterway has left some 500 vessels and 6,000 crew members stranded, while continued missile and drone attacks on ships have deepened fears for their safety.

The Guardian reported Sunday, citing International Maritime Organization (IMO) figures, that 6,000 seafarers aboard roughly 500 vessels remain unable to exit the Strait of Hormuz.

The bottleneck stems from Iran's effective closure of the strait since the war began, severely restricting vessel movement.

At one point, an estimated 20,000 crew members were stranded in the area for weeks. After the US and Iran signed an end-of-war MOU and some ships managed to leave, a large number of seafarers remain stuck.

Some vessels entered the strait after the MOU was signed, believing the sea route had reopened, only to find themselves trapped as well.

Lloyd's List, the British shipping trade publication, found that 65 of the oil tankers currently stranded in the Strait of Hormuz had entered after the MOU was announced.

Most of the stranded seafarers are believed to be Indian or Filipino nationals.

Beyond being unable to leave for months, they face the persistent threat of ship attacks, placing them under severe psychological strain.

According to the Guardian, 17 seafarers have been killed in the Strait of Hormuz since the war broke out, with reports of missing crew members and distress calls continuing to mount.

IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said crew members "are innocent people trained to do their jobs, not to fight," adding that "ships are not equipped to defend themselves against missiles or drones."

Savio Ramos, secretary-general of the Indian Maritime Union, said the situation facing stranded seafarers was "like being in prison," adding that "geopolitical uncertainty is placing enormous stress on seafarers."

Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has yet to recover since the US-Iran MOU effectively collapsed.

According to Lloyd's List, only 52 non-Iranian-affiliated vessels transited the strait in the week of July 27 to Aug. 2. Even including 32 Iran-linked vessels, total traffic barely exceeded 10 percent of pre-war levels.

Iran is reportedly in negotiations with neighboring Oman over reopening the strait, but the Guardian noted that even in that scenario, vessels would likely remain subject to Iranian control.


mokiya@heraldcorp.com