MANILA, Philippines — Around 2,500 Filipino seafarers are stranded aboard commercial vessels in the Persian Gulf as renewed military hostilities between the United States and Iran continue to threaten one of the world’s busiest shipping corridors, maritime and government officials said.
The Filipinos are among an estimated 6,000 international seafarers unable to leave the Gulf after heightened security risks forced vessels to suspend passage through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a vital chokepoint for global oil and commercial trade.
The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said it is closely monitoring the situation. Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac confirmed that 2,500 Filipino seafarers remain aboard ships waiting for safe passage.
Cacdac said the affected vessels have been unable to transit the Strait of Hormuz because of the continuing security threats posed by the renewed exchange of attacks between US and Iranian forces.
Despite the prolonged wait, Cacdac said that shipowners continue to provide essential supplies, including food, drinking water and fuel, to ensure the welfare of the stranded crews.
He added that the seafarers continue to receive their salaries, which are regularly remitted to their designated beneficiaries in the Philippines. Manning agencies are also arranging crew replacements for workers whose employment contracts have already expired, subject to the prevailing security conditions.
