Misfortune for Ships Stranded in Hormuz

August 24, 2026

-Abhishek Vij

Since the war broke out between the US, Israel, and Iran, the Strait of Hormuz has become a focal point. The supply of oil and gas from the Gulf to most countries around the world through the Strait of Hormuz has been disrupted. This has led to a surge in global crude oil prices and fluctuations in the stock markets of major countries, including India.

Currently, approximately 1,500 ships and containers destined for various countries remain stranded there. While hoping for the passage to reopen, they also face the threat of attacks from the blockading country. Now, a new development has emerged: armed pirates have also become aggressors. Recently, in separate incidents off the coasts of Yemen and Somalia, armed pirates hijacked two commercial vessels. The Indian Ministry of Transport says that both vessels also have 22 Indian crew members.

On August 20, the Estonian-flagged oil product tanker MT Shibu-1 was hijacked in the Gulf of Aden, about 30 nautical miles off the coast of Yemen. The 20 crew members on board were reportedly 16 Indians, and one each from Syria, Sudan, and Iraq. Another Cameroon-flagged vessel, MV Lutuf, was hijacked on August 17 off the coast of Putland, Somalia. Six of its 10 crew members were Indians. Six armed pirates boarded the vessel and took control. Eight pirates armed with weapons such as AK-47s boarded two small boats and took control of the vessel.

This has now created another threat. Taking advantage of the war situation, chaos, and lack of control, pirates have stepped up their attacks. If we consider these nearly 1,500 stranded ships from a humanitarian perspective, the plight of the crew and other people stranded at sea for months must be imaginable. Being stranded at sea for so many days is incredibly demanding. It causes psychological and physical problems for sailors and passengers. Furthermore, the threat of attacks on one hand and being away from their families on the other is also creating a very difficult situation for these people.

But the warlords are undeterred, fighting for supremacy in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran occupies one side of the Strait of Hormuz, Oman parallel to it, and the waterway lies in between. The main dispute currently centers on the collection of tariffs, which were previously unpaid. Both Iran and the United States are seeking to assert their authority over this tariff. Iran has laid undersea mines along this route, making the sea route even more dangerous. In such a situation, reaching a compromise becomes even more difficult.

Trump is claiming that if the United States had not waged war against Iran, Iran would have developed a nuclear bomb within two weeks. Now, the entire battle has centered on the Strait of Hormuz. This route used to supply one-fourth of the world’s crude oil needs, but now this entire system has collapsed. The entire world is waiting for the war to end.