Crisis in the Persian Gulf

From: Frank Cameron <Cameron_Frank@itf.org.uk>

Sent: Friday, March 20, 2026 2:46 PM

Subject: Crisis in the Persian Gulf

To all affiliates organising SeafarersITF E-Circular no. 071/S/2026Our Ref: S/FB/fc

20 March 2026

Dear Sisters, Brothers, Comrades

Crisis in the Persian Gulf

In consultation with the Seafarers’ Section Chair and Vice Chairs, it was agreed to provide you with an update on the Persian Gulf Crisis.

As you can imagine, the situation in the area is very fluid and there will likely be developments that can make any update redundant from one day to the next. However, we thought it was important to provide an account of the initiatives and direction the Secretariat is taking to address the concerns of the seafarers on ships stuck inside the Persian Gulf.

In addition, seafarers are increasingly receiving attention from the media and wider society. We believe it is important to provide a consistent message to align any requests you may receive in respect of the crisis.

At the briefing the Secretary General of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) held last week with representatives from the industry, it was stated that the likely number of ships stuck in the Gulf is around 3,000. It is estimated that currently there are at least 20,000 seafarers on board these ships.

This does not include supply vessels, yachts, dredges, anchor handling and installations service boats. The ITF and other organisations were asked to provide information about ships and crew, which we now provide to the IMO daily to ensure accurate information of ships and seafarers affected.

At the briefing it was also agreed that organisations representing seafarers and shipowners would use their influence to discourage any ships attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz for the purposes of commercial operations. It is of public knowledge that a small group of shipowners have attempted to continue operating with the purpose of profit by loading their ships with oil.

It was also confirmed that seafarers have the right to refuse to sail into the area which has been designated Warlike Operations Area by the International Bargaining Forum Warlike Operations Area Committee and identified by IMO as high risk because of the war.

The IMO called for an extraordinary session of the IMO Council, where the ITF has put forward a statement. Our asks can be summarised as:

1. Seafarers’ safety must be the sole objective of any consideration on how to guarantee ships navigation from the Gulf to the Indian Ocean;

2. Guaranteed uninterrupted access to refuelling, food, water and medical care for all seafarers in the affected area. Support for free access to ships’ communication systems to allow seafarers to reach out to their families, and also mental health support;

3. A call for Flag States to issue notices to prevent companies requiring ships to venture into the Persian Gulf;

4. Encouraging every possible diplomatic effort to safeguard navigation and seafarers in the region; and

5. Consideration to providing seafarers preferential access to flights, should the crisis continue in weeks to come, and repatriation of crew becomes a priority.

In addition, we have co-sponsored a submission, along with several IMO Members to facilitate the creation of safe passages/green corridors for ships to leave the conflict affected area.

This follows another submission that calls for the protection of seafarers and asks companies to allow seafarers free access to communication, which at the moment is an important issue for seafarers’ mental wellbeing.

The ITF, together with the International Chamber of Shipping and other maritime organisations, have expressed a concern regarding naval escort convoys. We believe the threat of an attack with sophisticated or less visible weapons cannot 100% guarantee the protection of ships transiting through the Strait of Hormuz.

However, should the request from some countries to create a naval escort under the UN banner be accepted by the countries involved in the hostilities, then we have agreed to review our position.

Unfortunately, like in many situations, false information or news is disseminated for different reasons. The Seafarers’ Section Secretariat, in close cooperation with the ITF Communications Team, will make sure that any information that is shared on our media channels is verified. The ITF will rely only on confirmed information as part of our commitment to seafarers, and also alongside the IMO and ILO who will be part of the Industry Group which will meet regularly to agree on a strategy. The ITF will also respond to any changes that may affect seafarers as the crisis unfolds.

The Seafarers’ Section Secretariat welcomes any feedback, and more importantly any information you want to provide regarding the seafarers you represent, and any conversations you may have with your national Maritime Administration or national shipping organisations.

Our commitment to you and to the seafarers you represent is to continue to work on emphasising the safety of life at sea and will object to any attempt to force seafarers to sail into the area or be part of any voyage/operation without assessing all possible options that keep seafarers safe.

In solidarity,

Fabrizio BarcellonaI TF Seafarers and Inland Navigation Coordinator