1,500 Ships, 20,000 Crew Members Trapped In Gulf Due To Iran’s Hormuz Blockade: UN Agency

Around 1,500 ships and nearly 20,000 crew members remain stranded in the Gulf because of Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the head of the UN’s maritime agency said on Thursday.

Arsenio Dominguez, secretary-general of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), said the ongoing Middle East conflict has left thousands of civilian sailors stuck in dangerous conditions.

“Right now, we have approximately 20,000 crewmen and around 1,500 ships trapped,” Dominguez said while addressing the Maritime Convention of the Americas in Panama.

He stressed that the stranded crew members are civilians caught in a geopolitical crisis beyond their control.

“These are innocent people who are doing their jobs every day for the benefit of other countries, but

are trapped by geopolitical situations outside their control,” he said.

The blockade followed the outbreak of war in the Middle East after military action launched by Israel and the United States against Iran on February 28, which triggered retaliatory action by Tehran across the region.

Before the conflict, the Strait of Hormuz handled nearly one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas shipments, making it one of the most strategically important maritime routes globally.

The closure has sharply disrupted global energy supplies and contributed to a major surge in oil and gas prices worldwide.

Dominguez noted that maritime trade accounts for more than 80 percent of goods consumed globally, warning that prolonged disruption could have severe economic consequences.

Earlier this week, US President Donald Trump announced a naval operation aimed at escorting trapped vessels and reopening the strait, but later paused the mission amid signs of diplomatic progress.

Washington is currently awaiting Iran’s response to proposals aimed at ending the conflict and restoring navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.