Crew refusal leaves LNG carrier Al Ruwais adrift off Pakistan amid Strait of Hormuz danger
A liquefied natural gas carrier named Al Ruwais has been sitting adrift off the coast of Pakistan for weeks because its crew refuses to take the vessel through the Strait of Hormuz. The ship is 314 metres long, flies the Bahamian flag and is owned by a company in the United Arab Emirates. The standoff highlights how fears over the waterway are now affecting the movement of energy cargoes.
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According to the account provided by one crew member, the vessel's 34-member team does not want to attempt the crossing despite pressure from the owners. The sailor said the company was willing to risk the ship to pass through the strait, but that the crew would only move if everyone agreed. He also said he was waiting to leave by boat for Pakistan and then join another vessel.
The row comes as maritime rules give individual seafarers the right to refuse transit into a designated warlike area, meaning one objection can be enough to stop a ship entering a danger zone. The same report said companies have been offering sharply higher pay to crews willing to cross, including monthly sums of up to $100,000 for captains and $50,000 risk bonuses. Ordinary crew wages have reportedly risen four to six times, underlining how dangerous the route has become in commercial terms.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most important energy shipping corridors, linking Gulf producers to global markets. The report said traffic through the strait has collapsed since the outbreak of the Iran war following US-Israeli strikes in late February. It said more than 125 vessels had passed daily before the war, but that number has fallen to fewer than 10 to 12, a drop of more than 90% according to ship-tracking firm Kpler.
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The same account said the southern corridor near Oman is patrolled by US forces, while the northern route passes through Iranian-controlled waters. It also said the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy has warned that vessels using routes it considers unauthorised face punitive action. Drone attacks, sea mines and strikes from unknown projectiles have also been cited as reasons for the decline in traffic, with multiple incidents involving fires, sinkings and power failures aboard tankers and LNG carriers.
For energy markets, the case of Al Ruwais shows how security fears can disrupt trade even without a direct attack on a specific ship. For shipping companies, it also raises questions about crew consent, insurance costs and the size of risk premiums needed to keep vessels moving. What remains unclear is when, or whether, the ship will resume its voyage and whether its crew will agree to cross the strait at all.
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