VDR Raises Alarm Over Merchant Shipping Safety in Persian Gulf
Since the war erupted in late February, reports indicate that over 2,000 merchant vessels carrying roughly 20,000 seafarers have been stranded in the region. Among these are at least 50 ships belonging to 10 German shipping companies, hosting around 1,000 crew members.
Approximately 20 merchant ships have already faced attacks. “There have been injuries and deaths,” VDR President Gaby Bornheim said in Hamburg.
The Strait of Hormuz, a critical corridor for global oil transport, is now effectively blocked.
“Very soon after the outbreak of hostilities, the Iranian armed forces directly addressed the ships and threatened to set them on fire if they passed through the Strait of Hormuz,” Bornheim added.
VDR Executive Director Martin Kroeger noted that, for now, the supply situation aboard the vessels is sufficient, with food provisions lasting around four weeks and the possibility of receiving additional supplies from shore.
He cautioned, however, that “the risk of coming under fire is real.” Crew members are unable to disembark, with ships needing to remain operational and continuously monitored. Much of the work is now being conducted below deck to ensure safety.
Last year, Germany’s merchant fleet totaled 1,716 ships, a slight decrease from the previous year, placing the country seventh worldwide in fleet size behind Greece, China, Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, and South Korea. Germany ranks second globally in container ships, ahead of China but behind Switzerland, largely due to the MSC shipping company based in Geneva. The VDR estimates there are 287 German shipping firms, with over 80% operating fewer than ten vessels.
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