Thousands of seafarers stranded as Strait of Hormuz closure disrupts Gulf shipping
Some 20,000 seafarers are stranded in the Gulf after the Strait of Hormuz was effectively closed, leaving crews waiting for pay, food, water and a way home.
One Indian seafarer, identified only as Anish, said he has been stuck at an Iranian port for nearly 10 weeks after arriving in the Shatt al-Arab waterway on a cargo ship shortly before the war escalated.
He said some Indian crew members have managed to return home by crossing Iran's 44km land border with Armenia, but many remain in place because they are still waiting to be paid or cannot get dollars to travel.
The disruption matters because the strait was one of the world's most important shipping routes before the war, carrying about one-fifth of global oil and gas supplies and one-third of seaborne fertiliser trade.
The report says the closure followed Iran's retaliation for US and Israeli attacks on the country, and that maritime traffic has remained at a standstill despite a tentative ceasefire announced on 7 April.
Anish said he had been living on potatoes, onions, tomatoes and flatbread, while hearing that food and water on other ships were running low.
The account also says some seafarers are being held up by Indian agents who manage payrolls and other employment matters for shipping firms, while others are waiting for Iranian agents to release funds for travel to Armenia.
The wider conflict has also affected shipping security in the waterway.
US Central Command said on Thursday that it intercepted and eliminated inbound Iranian threats after three US Navy guided-missile destroyers came under attack from missiles, drones and small boats while crossing the strait.
Iran said it had retaliated against the US Navy vessels after US forces targeted an oil tanker in its territorial waters, and accused Washington of violating the ceasefire by carrying out air strikes on civilian areas, including Qeshm Island.
What remains unclear is how quickly maritime traffic can resume and when the stranded crews will be able to leave, as the situation in and around the strait remains unsettled.
