Thousands of seafarers stranded in Gulf as Iran reasserts control map over Strait of Hormuz

Maritime disruption in the Gulf has left thousands of seafarers stranded at sea, with worsening shortages of basic supplies and growing safety concerns, as Iran published a new map reinforcing its asserted control over the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters reported.

According to shipping and labour representatives, roughly 20,000 sailors are currently stuck aboard about 2,000 vessels in the region, unable to disembark and increasingly reliant on limited onboard provisions, with many reporting shortages of food, water and medical support.

The situation has unfolded amid heightened tensions after U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran triggered a broader regional escalation, following which maritime movement through the strategic waterway was severely disrupted from late February.

Iran has since been reported to have effectively restricted passage through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil shipping lane, while also introducing a permission-based system for vessels seeking entry or exit through Gulf waters.

A newly published map by Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority reaffirmed claims over a widened “controlled maritime zone” around the chokepoint, further complicating navigation and shipping operations.

Seafarers interviewed by Reuters described prolonged isolation at sea, with limited contact with the outside world and uncertainty over repatriation timelines.

“The only thing we do here is plan how to spend the night and pray to God that we do not get hit during an attack,” said Indian sailor Salman Siddiqui, speaking from his vessel last month.

In waters off Dammam, resupply operations have offered rare moments of relief, with ships occasionally receiving deliveries of food and medical supplies via support vessels operating alongside anchored tankers.

From resupply boats, sailors were seen signalling to supply crews as goods were transferred aboard vessels, highlighting the constrained and precarious logistics sustaining maritime operations.

The International Transport Workers' Federation said seafarers’ conditions had reached “extreme” levels due to the ongoing conflict, citing cases of delayed wages, abandonment risks, repatriation delays and fear of missile or drone strikes.

Officials linked to the federation said more than 2,000 sailors had sought assistance since the start of the conflict, with many reporting prolonged uncertainty and inadequate provisions, while operational capacity within support structures had also been reduced.

One shipping executive, Captain Mohit Kohli, described the disruption as unimaginable before the crisis, saying he had not anticipated the possibility of being stranded when his vessel departed from Singapore.

With shipping routes constrained and administrative clearance systems becoming increasingly complex, maritime traffic in the Gulf continues to operate under severe pressure, leaving large numbers of vessels anchored offshore and awaiting uncertain clearance conditions.