The International Maritime Organization said about 3,200 ships carrying around 20,000 seafarers are confined west of the Strait of Hormuz ahead of an emergency council meeting in London on 18–19 March 2026 as attacks on merchant vessels continue across the Gulf region.
Three merchant vessels including MAYUREE NAREE, One Majesty, and Star Gwyneth were reportedly damaged on 11 March near the Strait of Hormuz, raising renewed concern over maritime security and crew safety in one of the world’s most critical shipping corridors.
The IMO has urged shipping companies to put crew safety first after attacks on merchant vessels in the Strait of Hormuz caused seafarer casualties. The agency also warned operators to use only confirmed information when making navigational decisions in the high-risk corridor.
Seafarers on IBF-covered ships can now refuse voyages through the Strait of Hormuz and the wider Middle East Gulf after the threat level reached its highest category. The new arrangement includes repatriation rights, two months of basic wage compensation, higher pay in the zone, and doubled compensation in death or disability cases.
Iran said the Strait of Hormuz remained open and ruled out an immediate shutdown, even as ship movements through the waterway nearly came to a standstill during the US-Iran war.
Sanctioned LNG carrier Arctic Metagaz was reported on fire off Malta on Tuesday after explosions were reported. Monitoring groups cited a possible drone strike, while the cause and crew status remained unconfirmed.
The Suez Canal Authority reports normal two-way traffic, citing 56 daily transits and recent tonnage totals, even as some major carriers temporarily pause passages due to regional security concerns.
An Indian seafarer has died after tanker MKD Vyom was struck by a projectile in the Gulf of Oman. The incident occurred amid rising security tensions affecting tanker routes near the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s IRGC warned that the Hormuz route is closed and vessels attempting passage would be attacked, raising fresh operational and insurance risk for tanker trades.
