Refusing to cross, unable to escape: Seafarers recount Hormuz dangers to Euronews

The Al Ruwais is a 314-metre liquefied natural gas carrier anchored off Pakistan. Its crew has refused to cross the Strait of Hormuz because they consider the passage too dangerous. The waterway has faced naval blockades, drone attacks, sea mines, and strikes on commercial vessels since the war began.

The ship’s owners want the vessel to move, but maritime regulations give each sailor the right to refuse entry into a designated warlike area. That makes consent individual, not collective. One crew member objecting is enough to prevent the ship from entering the danger zone. An electrician told Euronews he is waiting to leave by boat for Pakistan and join another vessel.

The ship has therefore remained adrift for weeks. Companies are offering very large payments to crews willing to cross, including bonuses for captains and sharply higher wages for ordinary sailors. Those offers have not persuaded the Al Ruwais crew, which continues to prioritize personal safety over the owners’ demand.

The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow maritime passage used by commercial vessels moving through the Gulf region. The article describes it as vital to the world’s energy trade. Its importance comes from concentration: many ships and cargoes must use the same limited waterway rather than freely choosing among many routes.

The strait has two main corridors in the current crisis. The southern route near Oman is patrolled by US forces, while the northern route passes through Iranian-controlled waters. The IRGC Navy has warned that ships using routes it considers unauthorised could face punitive action. These conditions make normal commercial transit difficult.

The strait’s role now reaches beyond energy. Iranian vessels are carrying wheat, corn, and medicine to ordinary Iranians through southern waters. With traffic already down more than 90 percent, the waterway’s security affects sailors, shipowners, national authorities, and people relying on imported supplies.

Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has collapsed since the war began. Ship-tracking firm Kpler recorded more than 125 vessels passing daily before the war. That number has fallen to fewer than 10 to 12 vessels, representing a decline of more than 90 percent.

The human cost is also severe. Hamed, an Iranian former captain who now runs a maritime management company, told Euronews that about 95 seafarers have died since March of last year. The figure covers commercial, fishing, passenger, tugboat, and offshore platform support roles. Military casualties are separate, and precise military figures have not been officially released.

The reduced traffic reflects both danger and fear. Incidents involving fires, sinkings, and power failures have been recorded on tankers and LNG carriers. Many crews now avoid the crossing, while those that continue may hide their vessels from detection. The result is a drastically quieter route with a heavy toll on maritime workers.

Commercial ships in the strait face several kinds of danger. The article reports drone attacks, sea mines, and strikes from unknown projectiles. UK Maritime Trade Operations has recorded incidents involving fires, sinkings, and power failures aboard tankers and liquefied natural gas carriers. The threats affect both ships and the people operating them.

Crews that still attempt the crossing are using concealment measures. They turn off satellite AIS transponders, extinguish running lights at night, and shut down radio equipment. AIS normally helps others track a ship’s position, while lights and radio signals make it easier to identify and communicate with a vessel.

These actions may reduce the chance of detection, but they also remove important safety tools. Other vessels and authorities have less information about a ship’s location and condition. The measures show how crews are balancing ordinary maritime safety against the fear that visibility could make them targets.

Maritime regulations treat refusal to enter a designated warlike area as an individual right. A captain cannot simply override every objection from the crew. If one sailor refuses to enter the danger zone, the vessel may be unable to proceed. This rule gives personal safety concerns direct power over a commercial voyage.

The Al Ruwais shows the mechanism clearly. Its 34 crew members have not agreed to cross, despite pressure from the owners. On ships whose crews do accept the risk, companies have offered captains up to $100,000 per month plus $50,000 risk bonuses. Ordinary crew wages have risen four to six times, with some sailors receiving as much as $10,000.

The higher pay reflects the danger and the difficulty of recruiting willing crews. It also creates fairness concerns. The Al Ruwais electrician argued that everyone should receive the same amount, rather than valuing a captain’s life above a deckhand’s.

The article links the Strait of Hormuz directly to energy shipping and to Iranian deliveries of wheat, corn, and medicine. If traffic falls further, fewer commercial vessels would be available to move these essential cargoes through southern waters. A complete halt would remove the route altogether, creating serious pressure on supplies and maritime operations.

The immediate effects would include more ships waiting offshore, refusing assignments, or seeking alternative arrangements. Companies would face higher risk payments and potentially higher operating costs as they tried to recruit crews willing to cross. The article does not provide a specific forecast for shipping prices or global energy shortages, so those effects cannot be quantified from the text.

The human consequences could spread to coastal communities. Around 40 percent of southern Iranian seafarers have already refused sea assignments, while others have moved to the Caspian Sea. Hamed warned that further deterioration could force a complete shutdown and evacuation of coastal facilities.

Narrow maritime chokepoints have influence because many ships and essential cargoes depend on a limited passage. When that passage is blocked or becomes too dangerous, vessels cannot simply move through another nearby channel without delay, risk, or extra cost. This concentrates commercial vulnerability in one place.

The Strait of Hormuz demonstrates the mechanism. Before the war, more than 125 vessels passed daily. After blockades, attacks, and threats, fewer than 10 to 12 now pass. The southern corridor is patrolled by US forces, while the northern route is under Iranian control, making the waterway a commercial and military pressure point.

The security impact extends beyond shipping companies. The strait carries energy-related traffic and supports deliveries of wheat, corn, and medicine. Its disruption has already caused crews to refuse assignments, companies to offer much higher pay, and Iranian authorities to consider a complete shutdown if conditions worsen.