On August 31, 2026, the IMO Secretary‑General called for coordinated international action amid ongoing uncertainty in the Strait of Hormuz, where up to 400 ships with around 6,000 seafarers remain unable to safely leave the Persian Gulf. According to IMO, more than 20,000 maritime workers, including seafarers, port staff and offshore crews, are affected, with 70 verified attacks on international shipping and 19 seafarers killed in the region. The issue is fundamentally about crew safety, welfare and the right to safe employment at sea.
According to IMO’s latest figures, by late August 2026 as many as 400 vessels carrying roughly 6,000 seafarers remain effectively trapped in the Persian Gulf, unable to transit the Strait of Hormuz safely due to repeated attacks and heightened regional tensions. The organisation estimates that the broader fallout of the crisis touches more than 20,000 maritime workers, including crews of merchant ships, port personnel and offshore teams across the region. IMO has verified 70 attacks on international shipping since the start of the conflict, resulting in the deaths of 19 seafarers, making the area one of the most dangerous maritime zones for commercial operations and crew employment.
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