Thousands of sailors trapped in the Strait of Hormuz, surrounded by war and tensions with the Islamic Republic

As the Strait of Hormuz remains closed amid escalating tensions between the Islamic Republic, the United States and Israel, the International Maritime Organization has warned that some 20,000 sailors and nearly 1,500 ships are stranded in the Persian Gulf. The surge in attacks on tankers has raised global concerns about the security of maritime trade, energy and the lives of ship crews to unprecedented levels, with many observers describing the current situation as one of the most dangerous maritime crises in decades.

As military tensions in the Middle East escalate, the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz has taken on new dimensions, with the United Nations International Maritime Organization (IMO) reporting that thousands of seafarers and hundreds of merchant ships are stranded in the region. The situation arose after the Islamic Republic effectively disrupted traffic in this vital energy corridor in response to recent military clashes.

Arsenio Dominguez, Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization, announced at the Inter-American Maritime Convention meeting in Panama that about 1,500 ships and more than 20,000 seafarers are currently stranded in the Persian Gulf and around the Strait of Hormuz. He warned that the continuation of this situation could have widespread humanitarian and economic consequences for the world.

Dominguez, referring to the vital role of maritime transport in the global economy, said: "Maritime transport moves more than 80 percent of the world's consumer goods." He also added about the situation of the trapped sailors: "These are innocent people who do their job every day for the benefit of other countries, but they are trapped due to geopolitical situations beyond their control."

The IMO Secretary-General also confirmed that at least 10 seafarers have lost their lives in recent attacks and insecurity. Some maritime security sources have reported that more than 30 attacks or security incidents against ships have been recorded in the region in recent weeks, a matter that has raised concerns among shipping companies and international insurers.

According to international media reports, many major shipping companies have changed their ship routes or limited their activities in the Persian Gulf. Analysts warn that continued disruption in the Strait of Hormuz could deal a new shock to the global oil market and the world's supply chain, as about a fifth of the world's oil passes through this route.

Meanwhile, China's Foreign Ministry has confirmed that an oil tanker affiliated with Chinese companies was attacked near the Strait of Hormuz. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said the crew of the vessel were Chinese citizens and that the tanker was carrying chemicals.

Chinese media reported that the damaged vessel, believed to be the Marshall Islands-flagged chemical tanker JV Innovation, sent an emergency call for help after an explosion and fire broke out on board off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, near the port of Mina Saqr.

The news of the attack was released just hours before Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi in Beijing; a meeting that focused on the Strait of Hormuz crisis and shipping security.

China, which remains the largest buyer of Iranian oil, has called on all parties to create the necessary conditions for the return of “normal navigation” through the Strait of Hormuz. “We call on all parties to ensure the return of normal navigation through the Strait of Hormuz,” a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman stressed.

In recent weeks, a number of international maritime and security bodies have warned of the risk of a wider crisis. Marine insurers have also sharply increased the cost of insurance for passage through the Persian Gulf, and some shipping lines are refusing to enter the region. Experts believe that if the crisis continues, the global economy will face a new wave of rising energy prices, trade disruptions and commodity shortages.