Around 1,500 Ships Trapped in Gulf Due to Hormuz Blockade: IMO Chief
Speaking at the Maritime Convention of the Americas in Panama, Arsenio Dominguez warned that the ongoing crisis has severely disrupted global shipping and placed thousands of seafarers in difficult conditions.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Around 1,500 ships and nearly 20,000 crew members are currently stranded in the Gulf due to Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the head of the United Nations’ International Maritime Organization (IMO) said on Thursday.
Speaking at the Maritime Convention of the Americas in Panama, Arsenio Dominguez warned that the ongoing crisis has severely disrupted global shipping and placed thousands of seafarers in difficult conditions.
“Right now, we have approximately 20,000 crewmen and around 1,500 ships trapped,” Dominguez said, describing the crews as “innocent people” caught in geopolitical tensions beyond their control.
The blockade followed the outbreak of war in the Middle East on Feb. 28, after Israeli and U.S. strikes against Iran triggered retaliatory measures by Tehran across the region, including the closure of the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.
Before the conflict, roughly one-fifth of the world’s petroleum and gas supplies passed through the waterway, making it one of the world’s most important trade routes. The closure has since driven a sharp rise in global energy prices.
Dominguez noted that maritime transport carries more than 80 percent of goods consumed worldwide, warning that prolonged disruption in Hormuz could further impact global trade and supply chains.
Earlier this week, U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans for a naval operation aimed at escorting stranded vessels and reopening the strait, but later suspended the initiative.
Washington is currently awaiting Iran’s response to proposals aimed at ending the conflict and restoring shipping access through the Strait of Hormuz.