More than 20,000 sailors trapped in the Persian Gulf are facing a survival crisis due to shortages of drinking water and food as Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz enters its second month.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) estimates approximately 2,000 vessels are currently stranded in the Persian Gulf, the Wall Street Journal reported Friday (local time). Fewer than 200 ships have managed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Whether navigation will return to normal remains unclear.
As the standoff drags on, many vessels are running out of drinking water, utility water and food supplies. Crew members are sharing survival tips through social media and VHF ship radios. Some Chinese sailors posted videos showing how to collect condensation from air conditioning units for non-drinking household use. Others aboard oil tankers are catching tuna, squid and hairtail by fishing from their decks. The port of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates, long the primary resupply point for ships in the area, has become difficult to access due to repeated attacks. Fresh food suppliers have sharply raised prices, with mangoes soaring to $31 per kilogram and oranges reaching $15 per kilogram.
There have also been deaths caused by lack of proper medical care. Rakesh Ranjan Singh, the 47-year-old captain of the oil tanker ASP Abana, died of a heart attack 19 days into the stranding. Crew members attempted emergency treatment but it was not enough. With air ambulance deployment impossible, it was already too late by the time a speedboat reached shore. Flights for crew rotations are scarce and costs have surged, disrupting personnel deployment and changeovers through major rotation hubs such as Dubai.
The International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) said it has received approximately 1,000 requests for assistance from sailors in the area since the war began on February 28. Two hundred requested help with disembarkation and repatriation, and more than half inquired about wages and contractual rights while stationed in a war zone. "It is utterly incomprehensible that some shipowners are still sending vessels there, exposing crews to danger," the ITF said. "Sailors must be able to return home when they wish."