New York, Apr. 2 (SANA) The International Maritime Organization (IMO), a United Nations agency responsible for maritime safety, said on Thursday that nearly 20,000 seafarers aboard about 2,000 vessels, including oil and gas tankers and cruise ships, remain stranded in the Strait of Hormuz.
According to the UN News website, the agency cited senior maritime safety officials as saying crews have been operating in what amounts to an active conflict zone for about a month, highlighting mounting psychological pressure on seafarers.
The IMO has sought clarification from Iran regarding the criteria used to classify vessels as potentially hostile while transiting the strait, amid concerns that such designations could expose ships to attack.
The agency called for an end to hostilities to allow vessels to pass safely through the narrow waterway, warning that prolonged disruption could affect the future of maritime employment and the sector’s ability to recruit personnel essential for global trade.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical routes for crude oil and liquefied natural gas supplies, has slowed to near standstill in recent weeks due to the continuing conflict, which has been ongoing since Feb. 28.
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