The International Maritime Organization, a United Nations agency responsible for maritime safety, said on Thursday that nearly 20,000 seafarers remain stranded aboard around 2,000 vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, including oil and gas tankers as well as cruise ships.
According to the UN News website, senior maritime safety officials told the agency that crews have been operating in conditions similar to an active conflict zone for about a month, highlighting growing psychological pressure on seafarers.
The IMO has requested clarification from Iran on the criteria used to classify vessels as potentially hostile while passing through the strait, raising concerns that such designations could put ships at risk of attack.
The agency called for an immediate end to hostilities to allow safe passage for vessels, warning that prolonged disruption could affect maritime employment and the sector’s ability to recruit personnel vital to global trade.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important routes for crude oil and liquefied natural gas, has slowed to almost a standstill in recent weeks due to the ongoing conflict, which has continued since February 28.
