A serious humanitarian crisis is developing at sea as tens of thousands of seafarers are stuck on ships in the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, and Arabian Sea. Reports indicate that many vessels are running low on essential supplies, especially drinking water.
The situation, which began as mainly a security issue, is now being recognized by maritime leaders as a “human crisis at sea.”
Maritime expert Sal Mercogliano recently shared information from a crew member on one of the approximately 3,000 ships stranded in the area, who described increasingly dire conditions.
“One ship requested permission from the local port authority to dock because they had run out of water, but they were denied,” he reported. “There are multiple ships in similar situations, with supplies of food and fuel running low.”
According to this account, ports are overwhelmed and under strict security rules, which are preventing even distressed vessels from docking, and crew changes are effectively halted.
?Crews at risk in the Gulf?
— Sal Mercogliano (WGOW Shipping) ???????? (@mercoglianos) March 19, 2026
Just heard from a crewmember on one of the 3,200 ships stuck in the Persian Gulf.
A ship called the local port authority requested permission to dock as they had run out of water.
They were denied permission!
Multiple ships are in the same… pic.twitter.com/rN3c0rXmX3
The scale of this crisis is staggering. Industry groups estimate that over 20,000 seafarers are trapped in risky waters due to ongoing attacks on commercial shipping, and traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has dramatically fallen.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has warned that the situation is posing a “grave danger to life,” with confirmed fatalities and injuries reported from recent attacks.
This growing humanitarian crisis was highlighted during the 36th Extraordinary Council session of the IMO in London, where Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez emphasized that seafarers are increasingly caught in the middle of the conflict.
Opening the session, Dominguez expressed “grave concern” about recent attacks on commercial shipping, noting casualties among seafarers in the region.
“Seafarers should not become victims of wider geopolitical tensions,” he urged, calling for immediate actions to protect crews and ensure safe navigation.
The IMO Council condemned the attacks on merchant vessels and approved urgent measures to support seafarers, including securing access to essential supplies, facilitating crew changes, and planning for a safe maritime corridor to help ships leave high-risk areas.
“This is not just a geopolitical crisis – it is a human crisis,” said Lydia Ferrad from the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF). “Seafarers have been killed, others injured, and thousands remain stuck on vessels in conditions of fear and uncertainty.”
The Joint Maritime Information Center under the 47-nation Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) has confirmed over 20 attacks on ships and seven seafarer fatalities since the conflict escalated on March 1.
Now, nearly three weeks later, crews are facing a rare mix of threats including missile and drone attacks, GPS interference, supply shortages, and severe psychological stress from being confined in a war zone for so long.
Getting basic necessities is becoming extremely urgent. The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has urged governments to ensure that food, water, fuel, and medical care continue to reach vessels that can't leave the area, warning that crew welfare is rapidly declining.
At the same time, labor groups say seafarers are in a tough situation—expected to keep operating ships in an active conflict zone while being unable to safely leave.
“Seafarers are civilian workers. They are not part of this conflict,” Ferrad emphasized. “They should never be treated as disposable.”
In response to the crisis, this week the IMO Council endorsed the creation of a safe maritime corridor to help ships and crews leave the area.
Shipping groups, including the World Shipping Council (WSC), support the proposal, viewing it as a vital step to protect seafarers and enable safe navigation.
“We strongly back measures to support seafarers… including access to food and essential supplies, and the establishment of a safe maritime corridor,” said WSC CEO Joe Kramek.
However, industry leaders warn that any corridor must be genuinely secure.
“The ITF backs safe evacuation corridors—but only if they are truly safe in practice,” noted ITF General Secretary Stephen Cotton.
Despite widespread agreement among governments and industry, how to implement these measures remains unclear—and time is running out for crews already facing critical shortages.
The ITF has called on flag states to give clear guidance to prevent sending vessels into the conflict zone and called for coordinated action to enable resupply, crew changes, and repatriation.
Meanwhile, shipping organizations are urging immediate actions to stop attacks and restore freedom of navigation in one of the world’s key energy and trade routes.
With vessels stranded, ports overwhelmed, and crews cut off from essential supplies, the crisis has shifted from purely maritime security to a challenge of global responsibility.
For the seafarers still on board, the risks extend beyond attacks to the slow depletion of essential supplies.