Trapped by the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz for almost 100 days: 'There is only one way out'

Captain Islam, from the ship Banglar Joyjatra (second from right, in the first row), and chief engineer Rashedul Hasan (to the captain's left) record a video to boost the crew's morale
RASHEDUL HASAN via BBC
Sometimes, the sea is so calm that Captain Hassan Khan (not his real name) forgets that his ship has been stopped for three months in the middle of a war zone.
"It's strange to see everything seemingly normal from outside when no one inside can stay calm", says the Pakistani sailor, who prefers not to reveal his real name.
But normality is only apparent. Khan and 20,000 other sailors have been trapped in the Strait of Hormuz or nearby areas since February 28, because of the war between the United States and Israel against Iran. What was once one of the busiest sea lanes in the world, through which a fifth of the oil and gas consumed globally passed, is now practically all at a standstill, as missiles cross the sky and mines are scattered underwater.
Even so, the crew on the ship captained by Khan tries to maintain the work routine. However, no one wants to leave the ship on the rare occasions when they are allowed to disembark. The relaxed conversations gave way to a tense silence, broken only by the noise of cell phones. Any sound scares the crew, even when they are sleeping.
"Stress never leaves your head," says Khan. "Everyone is exhausted, physically and mentally."
Crossings and supplies
According to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), 1,600 ships are stuck in the Strait of Hormuz
BBC
Even without considering the risk posed by missiles and mines, the 1,600 ships that, according to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), are stuck in the Strait of Hormuz are unable to leave. Days after the start of the war, Iran closed the narrow sea passage, the only exit from the Gulf, and began to prevent crossings without express authorization from the country.
"It's as if we were trapped in a lagoon. There is only one way out, and that is Hormuz," explains another sailor, Captain Shafiqul Islam.
Islam, whose Bangladesh-flagged ship Banglar Joyjatra carries around 37,000 tons of fertilizer bound for South Africa, tried to leave the region twice in recent months.
Both attempts failed.
Following the announcement of a ceasefire on April 8, Islam learned that another ship had received authorization from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to cross the strait. He then led his vessel towards the strategic passage along with four other ships. Shortly afterwards, they received orders not to continue their journey.
Nine days later, Islam tried again, after Iran stated that the strait would be "completely open" to commercial vessels, in line with the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon (which came under attack by Israel because Hezbollah, which operates in Lebanese territory, reacted to American and Israeli attacks on its ally Iran). But Iran quickly backtracked after the US maintained the blockade on Iranian ports. At that time, Islam's ship was already less than 55 km from the strait. With no alternative, he had to change route while warnings about possible attacks continued to echo over the radio.
Ships changed ports or remained anchored in areas of the Gulf considered safer. But the supply of food and water has become an increasingly urgent concern.
It is still possible to replenish supplies without necessarily entering ports, as the Gulf region, especially areas close to Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Kuwait, have well-structured supply services. But deliveries have become unpredictable.
Among essential items, the price of water has risen the most, says Rashedul Hasan, chief engineer of the Banglar Joyjatra ship. "We bought around 180 tons of water for the ship two days ago. Previously, this cost between US$1,500 and US$2,000 (between R$8,100 and R$10,800). Now, we are paying US$11,000 (about R$59,500)."
"It also appears that some food and water suppliers are trying to take advantage of the situation to make excessive profits," says a South Korean sailor who preferred to remain anonymous. He is on another ship.
The stranded ships will need even more water with the arrival of summer. The air temperature has already exceeded 30°C in May and could reach 45°C.
On the ship in Khan, they "still have food and water, but things are simpler now." According to him, it is still possible to get beef and chicken, but vegetables and lentils are scarce.
Death and diplomacy
Iran releases images of speedboats attacking the Strait of Hormuz
Still, Islam considers himself lucky on the second day of the conflict, his ship was just 200 meters from the port of Jebel Ali in Dubai, a distance equivalent to the length. of a medium-sized oil tanker, when the site was the target of an Iranian attack.
Since then, Islam and his 30 crew members have lost count of how many attacks they have witnessed. "Sometimes the missiles pass over one ship, and the debris falls on the next," says the captain.
"Whenever the attacks continued through the night, no one could sleep," says Hasan, the engineer. "We saw the horror and destruction with our own eyes."
The fear has a reason. At least 11 sailors have died, and another remains missing, in 39 confirmed incidents, according to the IMO.
Tension has eased somewhat after the ceasefire, but ongoing military operations in the strait show how fragile the situation remains.
Some sailors still see drones and military fighters, while others report the frequent presence of warships and submarines.
"These vessels use very strong lights. We also heard announcements over the loudspeakers. The captain says the Iranians do this to prevent any crossings," says Sajid Masood, a Pakistani who works as a cook on an oil tanker. His name has been changed.
But is there any way out for sailors stranded in the region?
Shipping companies are certainly hoping to find a way to reduce crew costs.
At the start of the war, many companies offered higher wages and extra benefits to convince sailors to stay on the ships, says Pakistani sailor Kamil, who uses a fictitious name.
But now companies are facing huge losses and have started to inform employees that anyone who wants to leave their jobs can do so, while reducing salaries and benefits, adds Kamil.
What will happen next, and who will replace these workers in the future, is less clear.
Many sailors' contracts are expiring and crew changes should have taken place a long time ago.
But given the current situation, it will be difficult to find enough professionals to operate these ships, even after the end of the war.
"This crisis showed how dangerous this work can become", says Kamil. "Many sailors may start to see this profession differently." He fears that access to international shipping lanes will be used as a weapon in future conflicts.
Masood, the cook, has also begun to reconsider his career at sea, and his contract is only a month away.
Before making any final decisions, he just wants to return to Pakistan and bring his family gifts from Dubai: Barbie dolls for his daughters and a toy plane for his son.
"I thought I would return home soon, but we are still stuck near the Straits of Hormuz, without any clear plan for the future", says Masood.
And he adds: "Every day my family asks when I will return, but I have no answer."
Some ships, around 750 since February 28, according to maritime data company Kpler, have managed to cross the Strait of Hormuz.
According to Jonathan Schroden of CNA, a non-profit research organization based in Washington D.C., in the USA, the owners of these vessels appear to have The director-general resorted to direct diplomatic negotiations with Iran. Most of the ships came from China, India and Pakistan.
According to Schroden, there is also evidence that "a sum of a few million dollars per ship" was paid. BSC Commodore Mahmudul Malek said Bangladesh initially agreed to pay the fee demanded by Iran. But the plan was abandoned after the US threatened to impose sanctions on any country that made the payment.
"We are living in a double crisis now," says Malek.
Additional reporting by BBC News Korea's Hyojung Kim.

Source: G1