The broken system that keeps shipping crews stranded in the Strait of Hormuz

If that cooperation disappears, any clear path back home will also disappear. Labor organizations, such as the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), say intervention is possible, but often depends on cross-jurisdictional coordination and cooperation from shipowners.

“When the war broke out, we set up a War Operations Area Committee to address the issue of protecting seafarers in the area,” says John Kanias, ITF’s maritime operations coordinator.

The organization has identified some sea routes in the region, including the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and some parts of the Gulf of Oman as high-risk areas, encouraging shipowners to allow seafarers to terminate contracts if they choose not to work in those areas, Kanias says.

But such measures depend on cooperation from ship owners – something that becomes difficult in cases involving abandoned ships.

Boarding abandoned ships

vijay ship, MahakalAnd it has documentation Work case history allegations. Maritime defense groups say it is owned by an individual and is not officially registered with the IMO. This is not an isolated case.

according to ITFThe year 2025 saw the highest number of ship abandonments ever, with 409 ships reported abandoned and more than 6,200 seafarers affected globally. More than 150 of these cases occurred in the wider Middle East region. Indian nationals constitute the largest group of abandoned seafarers, followed by Filipinos and Syrians.

Since the conflict escalated in the region, ITF officials say they have received dozens of distress calls a day from seafarers, especially those on board ships where their owners have stopped calling.

In some cases, the ITF has documented the destruction of ships’ machinery, leaving them without fuel or power. “We recently obtained a video from a sailor that showed a missile exploding 10 meters from the ship,” says Kanias.

“We have seen cases where ships were damaged, crews had to abandon ships after attacks, and other cases where ships completely lost power,” says Kanias. “It’s too dangerous for them.”

Trapped between regimes and conflict

For sailors on abandoned ships, the dangers are not just physical. Isolation, uncertainty, and lack of movement can take a significant psychological toll.

Vijay says he tries to reassure his family during phone calls, even as his condition remains unchanged. “My family is worried about me, but I try to show them that I am happy,” he says. “But I’m in a very frustrated situation.”

He says he hopes to return home and rebuild his life. “I was a very happy person,” he says. “I know I can be a happy person again if I can return to my family.”

Global shipping continues to operate, even under pressure, rerouting goods, adapting to risks, and maintaining the flow of goods across regions. But for workers on ships outside these accountability systems, movement is not guaranteed.

For seafarers like Vijay, the infrastructure that brought them there continues to function, but with no clear way out.