As the security situation in the Gulf region remains dangerous for vessel transits, industry voices differ on the question of whether vessels should stay out of the Strait of Hormuz for reasons of seafarer safety.
Transits of the strait are under direct threat from Iran, which has demonstrated a capability to hit vessels that attempt to make the run. Once past the strait and inside the Gulf, all inbound merchant ships remain within targeting distance and vulnerable to Iranian attack, from Kuwait to Dubai.
Blue-chip operators like Maersk and CMA CGM have cast their votes in favor of prudence and suspended calls in the Gulf region, thereby eliminating war risk for their seagoing personnel (except those already west of Hormuz, estimated to number about 20,000 personnel). On the other end of the spectrum, a handful of owners are asking their captains to make transits in and out. To be sure, seafarers have agency of their own and can decide whether to join such a voyage. Under IBF rules, crewmembers have a right to be informed of combat-zone hazards and a right to request repatriation – though it is a request that comes with its own risks.
So far, industry bodies have advised owners to weigh and manage war risks, not to avoid them – consistent with the varying opinions and business models of international shipowners. For VLCC owners, Mideast transits are now more lucrative than at any point in industry history. If the risk to crew is acceptable, a single voyage could pay for a third of the price of the ship.
“Seafarers continue to operate in a complex and uncertain environment, and their safety and wellbeing must remain a priority,” said Intertanko and OCIMF in a joint statement Thursday. “Operational decisions should be based on thorough, company-led due diligence and comprehensive risk assessments . . . [and] the human element should be considered in decision-making.”
The International Chamber of Shipping, which represents vessels of all classes, expressed concern and emphasized the obligation of nation-states to ensure safety.
“By no fault of their own, [seafarers’] lives are now tragically at risk. We call on all states to take the fundamental steps to ensure their safety,” ICS’ leadership said in a statement. “Freedom of navigation is crucial to global trade. All states must ensure the safe passage of merchant vessels, prioritizing the safety and welfare of the crew on board.”
Some observers have called for private parties to take their own actions to ensure safety for crew.
“Stop trying to pass the Strait of Hormuz!” implored EOS Risk Group’s Martin Kelly in a message Wednesday. “There have been at least 10 attacks against shipping in 72 hours. At least one person dead, and at least one ship abandoned. . . . Please, defer transit.”
In Piraeus, the epicenter of the crude tanker industry, unionized seafarers have gone a step further. Protesters at the shipowners’ union building near the harbor have spraypainted the sidewalk with the phrase “no sacrifice for profits and wars,” according to Reuters. Their demand is nothing less than the swift and safe return of all seafaring personnel currently in the region – a demand which would require cessation of trading.
“We demand that all of our colleagues, currently in the dangerous Gulf area, the Gulf of Oman and the Red Sea, are evacuated and safely repatriated,” said Angelos Galanopoulos, head of engineering crew members’ union Stephenson.
