In a recently-published video by the IMO, the IMO Secretary-General, Arsenio Dominguez, spoke with a seafarer who recently returned from the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n
Speaking with a seafarer in crisis<\/p>\n
During the conversation, the seafarer shared his experience of the intense stress and uncertainty faced at sea, highlighting the challenges seafarers continue to endure. The seafarer described being caught at sea during sudden regional escalation after reports of conflict in the Middle East.<\/p>\n
Just as he was preparing to return home after completing nearly six months onboard, vessels were ordered not to enter or exit the area, leaving ships effectively stranded in a tense and unstable environment.<\/p>\n
He explained that the situation quickly became dangerous and confusing. Crew members witnessed missile interceptions in the night sky and feared the risk of debris falling onto their vessel. At the same time, navigation systems were disrupted by GPS spoofing, forcing them to rely on traditional methods such as visual landmarks and basic positional fixes. With limited communication and no reliable internet, the journey felt disorienting and prolonged.<\/p>\n
Conditions onboard became increasingly difficult as uncertainty stretched on. The crew had to ration food and water because they did not know when they would reach a port again. He emphasized that the mental strain was severe, with very high stress levels and widespread difficulty sleeping among seafarers during the ordeal.<\/p>\n
Seafarers\u2019 welfare\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n
Dominguez provided an update to Member States and industry on the situation in the Strait of Hormuz on 24 April 2026.<\/p>\n
With the\u202fconflict now\u202fin its eighth week, Secretary-General Dominguez\u202fwarned that\u202fsupplies\u202fon ships stuck in the Persian Gulf \u2013 including water,\u202ffood\u202fand fuel \u2013 will\u202fstart running short.\u202fHe appreciated the\u202fongoing\u202fsupport from countries in the region\u202fin providing essential supplies\u202fand provisions.\u202f\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n
Secretary-General Dominguez\u202furged\u202fall flag States, NGOs, industry\u202fbodies\u202fand the States of nationality of the seafarers to offer any\u202fassistance, including through remote support, helplines and keeping families informed.\u202fHe\u202falso highlighted\u202fthe\u202fimportance of\u202ffair treatment of seafarers in terms of welfare and payment of wages.\u202f\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n
I spoke to a seafarer who had been trapped in the Persian Gulf for more than six weeks.\u202fAside from the exhaustion and toll on mental health of the crews, they feel\u202finvisible,\u202fthat they are not valued. There is much more we need to do<\/p>\n
\u2026 he told delegates.\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n
IMO continues to try and tackle the issue<\/p>\n
In an informal briefing to Member States and industry representatives,\u202fSecretary-General Dominguez\u202fconfirmed that\u202fseveral\u202fvessels had been seized\u202fand detained\u202fin the region\u202fover the past few days.\u202f\u202fHe urged maximum caution,\u202fconsidering\u202fpotential\u202fmines present throughout the Strait and threat of\u202ffurther attacks\u202fon ships.\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n
My call is to release the seafarers because they are not at fault. The situation is not improving.\u202fI reiterate:\u202fthere is no safe transit anywhere in the Strait of Hormuz<\/p>\n
\u2026 he stressed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He highlighted that 29 attacks on vessels in the Persian Gulf and around the Strait of Hormuz had been verified by IMO since the beginning of the conflict, resulting in the death of at least 10 seafarers and damage to the vessels. Around 20,000 seafarers on around 1,600 vessels\u202fremain\u202fin the Gulf.\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n
Maritime evacuation plan\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n