Strait of Hormuz closure strains seafarers, revealing geopolitical tensions and systemic maritime vulnerabilities
Original framing: “Trapped in the Gulf, ship crews run low on food, water – and mental health reserves” — South China Morning Post
Seafarers from the Global South, particularly those from the Philippines, India, and Bangladesh, make up the majority of crews in international shipping. Their voices are often excluded from policy discussions, despite being the most affected by maritime crises and labor exploitation.
The crisis of seafarers trapped in the Persian Gulf is a microcosm of the broader failures of global governance to protect vulnerable workers in the face of geopolitical conflict.
The militarization of trade routes, the exploitation of labor from the Global South, and the absence of systemic safeguards all contribute to this crisis. Indigenous and local maritime traditions offer alternative models of resilience and cooperation that could inform more humane and sustainable approaches to maritime governance. A Global Maritime Humanitarian Protocol, combined with decentralized governance and inclusive policy-making, could provide a pathway to protect seafarers and stabilize global trade in times of conflict. The voices of seafarers themselves must be central to this transformation.