Strait of Hormuz: 14 seafarers dead, evacuation of 2,500 paused after new attack

The Strait of Hormuz crisis remains the industry's biggest pain point. According to the IMO, 46 attacks on merchant ships have been recorded since late February, and 14 seafarers have been killed. The UN managed to evacuate around 2,500 stranded seafarers from the Persian Gulf, but after the container ship Ever Lovely was attacked off Oman on 25 June the operation was paused — leaving the plan to bring out another 11,000 people in limbo.

Meanwhile, the remains of three seafarers from the bulker Mayuree Naree, killed in the attack of 11 March, have been repatriated to Thailand — their families waited more than three months.

Cautious hope

Diplomacy offers cautious hope: a preliminary memorandum has been signed and a 60-day negotiation window announced. But shipping companies are in no rush to return their vessels to the route: no one can yet guarantee safe passage.

What to check in your contract

Seafarers considering contracts calling in the region should read the war zone clauses carefully: the size of the bonus, the right to sign off before entering a high-risk area, and the insurance cover. This is not a formality — it is your money and your safety.