Mangaluru: A marine engineer from the city and a cadet from Udupi are among several Indian seafarers caught in a tense maritime standoff in the Persian Gulf, as escalating regional hostilities have brought movement through the vital Strait of Hormuz to a near standstill.Speaking from an LPG carrier anchored in uncertainty, the marine engineer said the crew has been stranded since the last week of Feb, with no clarity on when they will be allowed to transit. Back home, families are growing increasingly anxious as visuals of missile and drone activity continue to dominate the region. “We are part of the merchant navy, entrusted with ensuring India’s energy security. Our vessel carries LPG cargo critical to the country. Under normal conditions, crossing the Strait of Hormuz takes just over two hours. Now, we have been waiting here for weeks,” he said. Describing the situation as tense and unpredictable, he said the crew witnesses frequent barrages of missiles and drones. “Every day, there is something happening in the skies. It is not just the delay, it is the uncertainty that weighs on us,” he said. The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow but crucial maritime corridor linking the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea, is considered the world’s most important oil transit chokepoint. It has Iran to the north and Oman and the UAE to the south, and it narrows to about 33 km at its tightest stretch, making it highly vulnerable during geopolitical flare-ups. The vessel departed India in mid-Feb and reached an oil-rich nation. On their return, the vessel has been stranded near the Strait of Hormuz. According to an estimate, 22 India-bound vessels in the Persian Gulf region have been identified for evacuation and safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz by the Indian govt. While the Indian Navy has reportedly intensified escort operations near the Gulf of Oman, safe transit remains a challenge. “We were hopeful of moving a couple of days ago, but the situation worsened again. There’s enough ration for about a month, but the real concern is how long this will stretch,” he said. A seasoned seafarer with 15 years in the merchant navy, the engineer previously endured a crisis situation, and was stranded during the Ukraine-Russia conflict for about a week. He said, “The contribution of seafarers often goes unnoticed. We put our lives on the line to keep essential supplies moving. Maritime transport carries nearly 80% to 90% of global trade by volume. Without us, supply chains collapse.”
