Shipping Industry Sounds Alarm as 20,000 Sailors Remain Trapped in Persian Gulf

1. The global shipping industry is raising alarms over the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, where blocked passage has left approximately 20,000 sailors stranded in the Persian Gulf, threatening energy transport and supply-chain stability [para. 1]. The crisis dominated discussions at Posidonia 2026, one of the world’s largest maritime exhibitions, which opened in Athens on Monday [para. 2].

2. Arsenio Dominguez, secretary-general of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), stated at the opening ceremony that the Strait of Hormuz is currently unsafe for navigation and warned shipowners against exposing crews to unnecessary risks [para. 3]. He reported that around 20,000 sailors with no connection to the conflict have been stranded for nearly four months, and the IMO is in talks with relevant governments to establish evacuation corridors for vessels and crews [para. 4]. Since the conflict began, the IMO has verified 29 attacks on vessels in the Persian Gulf and around the strait, resulting in at least 10 seafarer deaths [para. 5].

3. Apostolos Tzitzikostas, the European Union commissioner for sustainable transport and tourism, warned that the greatest danger is the potential gradual acceptance of the Strait of Hormuz closure as a “new normal” [para. 6]. He urged securing seafarer safety as an absolute priority for the EU and called for more robust communication with all stakeholders, particularly Iran [para. 6]. Tzitzikostas described the strait as one of the world’s most critical maritime arteries and said the EU cannot accept navigation restrictions, transit fees, or de facto “tolls” in international waters, as yielding would undermine the long-established principle of freedom of navigation [para. 7].

4. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis noted that blocking a vital maritime passage can drive up shipping costs, fuel inflation, and trigger shortages of energy and commodities [para. 8]. Greece will push to restore free navigation and opposes any additional economic burdens or passage fees [para. 8]. Mitsotakis highlighted that Greek-controlled vessels, including tankers and LNG carriers, are pivotal in global energy distribution, making maritime security a matter of Greek interest and European energy security and strategic autonomy [para. 9].

5. Melina Travlos, president of the Union of Greek Shipowners, said maritime routes are the “arteries” of the global economy; when shipping is disrupted, the entire global economic system is affected [para. 10]. She called on governments to place shipping security at the core of strategic policy decisions and to prevent shipping and seafarers from being weaponized or targeted in geopolitical conflicts [para. 10].

6. Beyond security, industry leaders discussed carbon-reduction policies. Tzitzikostas said European shipping firms should not have to “pay twice” for emissions under both EU and IMO frameworks, and revenues from the EU Emissions Trading System should be reinvested in clean fuels, new propulsion systems, and future maritime technologies [para. 11]. Travlos and Mitsotakis emphasized that the green transition must align with the availability of alternative fuels, mature technologies, adequate infrastructure, and a global level playing field, and should not destroy competitiveness or drive up transport costs [para. 12]. Mitsotakis added that natural gas should still be viewed as a reliable transitional fuel [para. 12].

7. Posidonia, held biennially since 1969, runs through Friday at the Metropolitan Expo in Athens, with a record 2,227 exhibitors from 83 countries and regions and expected attendance exceeding 40,000 shipping professionals [para. 13]. China has a substantial presence, with 241 Chinese companies participating, including China State Shipbuilding Corp., COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry, China Merchants Industry Holdings, and China Classification Society [para. 14]. Greek shipowners, controlling over 60% of the EU’s merchant fleet, represent a critical customer base for Chinese shipyards and marine technology firms [para. 14]. Additionally, COSCO Shipping affiliates hold a 67% stake in the Piraeus Port Authority, a vital hub linking China to the Eastern Mediterranean, the Balkans, and Central European markets, while Bank of China has been active in ship financing from its Athens branch since 2019 [para. 15].