More than five months into the US-led war on Iran, approximately 6,000 seafarers remain trapped aboard roughly 400 civilian vessels in the Persian Gulf and surrounding waters, blocked by regional hostilities and trapped by the collapse of international peace agreements.
Stranded in the Gulf: The Current State of Trapped Seafarers
As the conflict extends into its sixth month, commercial shipping in the Middle East Gulf remains severely disrupted. Data from Lloyd’s List Intelligence shows that 149 non-sanctioned cargo-carrying vessels above 10,000 dwt remain inside the Middle East Gulf, while the UN’s International Maritime Organization puts the broader total at 6,000 seafarers spread across 500 vessels.
The current figures represent a significant decline from early March, when more than 1,000 ships and 15,000 crew members were stranded. A brief window of movement occurred in June following a memorandum of understanding signed by Washington and Tehran, allowing dozens of oil and gas tankers to exit through the Strait of Hormuz. However, traffic plummeted again after that ceasefire collapsed.
Concurrently, ship-tracking data indicates that 40 vessels have switched off their AIS signals over the past two months to avoid detection in the volatile maritime theatre.
Psychological Toll, Abandonment, and Unpaid Wages
For the mariners caught in the crossfire, mostly from India and the Philippines alongside crew members from Indonesia, Myanmar, Ukraine, and various African nations, the extended delay has taken a severe toll. International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) coordinator Mohamed Arrachedi reported receiving approximately 3,000 requests for help since the war began.
“Please, please captain help us and give us a direction on what to do. Please, please after God you are the only person we have.”
Anonymous seafarer
The ITF has also raised alarms over a rise in abandonment cases, accusing some ship owners of exploiting the war to boost cargo prices while cutting seafarer pay to as little as US$200 a month.
“This is modern slavery. This is systemic exploitation.”
Mohamed Arrachedi, Arab world and Iran network coordinator with the International Transport Workers’ Federation
Attacks and Near-Misses Along the Strait of Hormuz
The physical dangers match the psychological strain. The ITF estimates that 50 seafarers, including six Iranians, have been killed in missile strikes since hostilities commenced on February 28. In the days leading up to August, maritime analysts reported multiple kinetic incidents, including an attack on the Minoan Pioneer bulk carrier that left its third engineer missing following an engine room blast and fire.
Sailors operating small craft, barges, tugboats, and offshore vessels within oil fields in the middle of the conflict zone describe constant fear.
One seafarer stuck in the Gulf told the Guardian in the early weeks of the conflict of the impossible situation they and their crew were in, which had contributed to another sailor having a breakdown.
Crew Rotations and the Struggle to Disembark
While most responsible shipowners continue to supply stranded vessels with fresh water and provisions via small boats from shore, getting crew members off the ships remains a formidable challenge.
Some mariners have successfully repatriated by submitting formal petitions when operators initially resisted letting them leave. For instance, Turkish engineer Soner and his crew petitioned their operator in June to exit their bulk carrier in the Middle East Gulf after months of delays, flying back to Türkiye after replacements arrived, as detailed by Lloyd’s List.
However, finding replacement crews willing to enter the volatile region has become increasingly difficult for shipping companies, pushing some operators to alter their route planning entirely to bypass the Middle East Gulf.
Diplomatic Mediation and the Outlook for Regional Transit
Oman is currently mediating talks between regional actors to address the maritime blockade. However, proposed arrangements suggesting Iranian control over traffic entering the Gulf have met resistance from shipowners and industry groups protective of traditional freedom of navigation.
With peace deals remaining fragile and intermittent diplomatic openings routinely undone by renewed military strikes, international organizations continue to press for the protection of civilian mariners caught in the waterway.
