“I resigned”: after six weeks stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, sailors on the verge of breaking down

Despite a ceasefire signed between the United States and Iran for a period of two weeks in exchange for a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, nearly 20,000 sailors are still at a standstill in the Persian Gulf. A situation which has lasted for almost six weeks and which weighs heavily on the morale of the troops. Because, despite the passage of certain boats, the situation is still too unstable for all ships to be able to resume navigation.

Missiles have been observed in the sky until recently, and underwater mines are still present. Dozens of ships loaded with oil are still stranded off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. “We are at anchor, like nearly ten tankers. Nobody moved an inch,” a sailor told the Guardian.

“Nervous breakdowns” on board oil tankers

“I resigned exactly a month ago,” said another. I informed the captain that I did not wish to cross the strait. It’s a security issue. » According to him, 90% of his crew members also wanted to exercise their right to refuse navigation for the same reasons.

The psychological pressure weighing on sailors is strong. One of them says that one of his colleagues suffered “a nervous breakdown”. “I am convinced that this situation is happening (on tankers) all around us because of the stress caused by the context,” he adds, despite the existence of helplines.

Since the start of the war in the Middle East, the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) has received around 1,000 requests from sailors, some of whom are demanding repatriation or warning of lack of food, water or fuel.

“An easy target”

“In addition to the mental weight linked to the threat of violence – being an easy target – there is also the uncertainty, not knowing how long this will last,” underlines David Appleton, head of the Nautilus union. And added: “Everyone is doing their best to help, but the main objective is to keep people safe. »

Shipowners are seeking to replace crews, in particular by offering double paid salaries in risk areas. “Most of our potential replacements are Ukrainian sailors; those who are far from home,” confides a worker who wants to leave.

“I have worked on oil tankers all my life. To leave would be to give up everything I have accomplished. But continuing this work means accepting the possibility of having to return (to the Strait of Hormuz) one day. I will only be able to make this decision after a few months spent on land, at home,” confides the man who speaks of “the most difficult situation” he has had to experience so far.