The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has confirmed that at least 6,000 seafarers remain stranded on hundreds of vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, unable to evacuate even as a ceasefire holds in the region.
The UN body’s latest assessment underscores the persistent operational paralysis in one of the world’s most critical energy corridors, where commercial traffic has ground to a near-halt.
This development adds a stark human dimension to the ongoing shipping disruption that has already triggered significant volatility in global energy markets.
While the primary focus of market participants has been on the flow of crude oil and the resulting price spikes, the IMO’s figures reveal the scale of the logistical bottleneck.
Hundreds of ships are effectively immobilized, creating a backlog that threatens to extend supply chain disruptions well beyond the immediate conflict zone.
The situation follows weeks of escalating tensions, during which Iran warned oil tankers to use approved routes or face forceful responses, leading to a sharp decline in transit volumes.