Washington DC [US], April 5 (ANI): About 2,000 ships carrying more than 20,000 seafarers are stranded in the Persian Gulf, the International Maritime Organisation told the Wall Street Journal, leaving many crews marooned for over a month as fewer than 200 vessels have been able to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
Normally about 20% of the world’s oil flows through the narrow strait, along with vital shipments of natural gas, fertilizer and other cargoes. But the timing for a return to normal transit remains unclear.
Crews report dwindling supplies of fresh food and potable water, and sailors are sharing survival tips via social media and very-high-frequency marine radios. Some Chinese seafarers have been filmed collecting condensate from air-conditioning units for bathing and laundry; others are fishing—catching tuna, squid and largehead hairtail—to supplement rations.
Resupplying is harder and costlier. The Port of Fujairah in the UAE, a usual source of provisions, has been repeatedly attacked, and vendors are charging sharply higher prices. Supply lists reviewed by the Wall Street Journal show mangoes at about USD 31 per kilogram and oranges at about USD 15 per kilogram. Crew changes by air are also constrained because flights to hubs such as Dubai remain limited and expensive.
The London-based International Transport Workers’ Federation has logged roughly 1,000 requests for assistance from crews near the Strait. Increasingly, vessels report critical food shortages; some 200 seafarers have sought help to disembark and return home. More than half of the inquiries concern pay and contractual entitlements while operating in the war zone, the Wall Street Journal reported. (ANI)
(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)
