The sea is sometimes so tranquil that Captain Hassan Khan forgets his ship has been stuck in the middle of a war zone for three months.
“It is really strange that everything looks normal outside, but people inside are not calm,” says the Pakistani sailor, who doesn’t want to use his real name.
Things may look normal in this part of the Gulf, but they are certainly not. Khan and 20,000 other sailors have been trapped in or near the Strait of Hormuz by the US-Israeli war with Iran since late February. What was once one of the world’s busiest waterways, used to transport a fifth of the globe’s oil and gas, has ground to a halt as missiles fly overhead and mines are laid beneath the waves.
Despite this, the crew on Capt Khan’s ship has been trying to follow the usual work routine – although no one wants to leave the ship for rarely-allowed shore breaks, while cheerful banter has given way to anxious silence punctuated by the buzzing of phones. People jump at the smallest sound, even in their sleep.
“The stress stays in our mind all the time,” Khan says. “Everyone is just exhausted – both physically and mentally.”
Crossings and supplies
Even without the danger posed by the missiles and mines, the 1,600 ships that the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) estimates to be stuck on the wrong side of the Strait of Hormuz are unable to leave. Days after the war began, Iran shut the narrow waterway – the only way out of the Gulf – and refused to let anyone through without its express permission.
“It is as if we are trapped in a pond. There’s only one way out, and that’s Hormuz,” explains the captain of another vessel, Shafiqul Islam.
Islam, whose Bangladesh-owned ship the Banglar Joyjatra is carrying about 37,000 tonnes of fertiliser bound for South Africa, has twice tried to leave in the months since.
Both attempts have ended in failure.
After the announcement of a ceasefire on 8 April, Islam caught wind that another ship had been given permission by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to cross. He then steered his ship towards the critical waterway along with four other vessels. Shortly after, they were warned not to proceed.
Nine days later, Islam tried again as Iran said the strait would be “completely open” for all commercial vessels in line with the ceasefire. But Iran quickly reversed the decision after the US kept the blockade of its ports in place.
By then, Islam’s ship had already come within 30 nautical miles of the strait. He had no choice but to turn it away as warnings of attacks continued to crackle over the radio.
Ships have moved to different ports or anchored offshore within the Gulf for safety. But now, getting supplies of food and water has become increasingly pressing.
Doing so is still possible without necessarily entering ports, as the Gulf region – especially around Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Kuwait – has well-established supply services. But deliveries are now unpredictable.
Among all essential items, the price of water has increased the most, says Banglar Joyyatra’s chief engineer Rashedul Hasan. “We purchased about 180 tonnes of water for the ship two days ago. Earlier, it would cost between $1,500 and $2,000. Now, it costs us $11,000.”
“It also feels like some food and water suppliers are trying to take advantage of the situation and make excessive profits,” says a Korean sailor who doesn’t want to be named. He is on a different ship.
The stranded ships will need even more water as summer is coming. The air temperature has already exceeded 30C in May – and it can go as high as 45C.
On Khan’s ship, they “still have food and water, but things are simpler now”. While he can still get beef and chicken, vegetables and lentils are hard to come by.
Death and diplomacy
But then, Islam still considers himself lucky. On the second day of the conflict, his ship was only 200m (656ft) – barely the length of a medium-sized tanker – from Dubai’s Jebel Ali port, which was targeted by an Iranian strike.
Since then, Islam and his 30 crew members have lost count of the attacks they have witnessed. “Sometimes missiles fly over one ship, and sometimes debris falls on the next,” the captain says.
“Whenever attacks continued throughout the night, none of us could sleep,” says Hasan, the engineer. “We have witnessed horror and devastation with our eyes.”
They are scared for good reason. At least 11 sailors have been killed and another is unaccounted for in 39 verified incidents, the IMO says.
Tension eased somewhat after the ceasefire, but the ongoing military activities in the strait are reminders of its fragility.
Some sailors continue to see drones and fighter jets, while others spot naval ships and submarines regularly.
“These ships use bright lights. We also hear announcements over the loudspeakers. The captain says the Iranians are doing this to stop anyone from passing through,” says Sajid Masood, a Pakistani who works as a cook on an oil tanker. His name has been changed to protect his identity.
So is there any way out for the trapped sailors?
Shipping companies, which are facing huge losses, are hoping they may be able to cut staffing costs.
Many sailors’ contracts are expiring and large-scale crew rotations are overdue. Given the circumstances, it will be difficult to find enough hands to man these ships – even after the war is over.
“This crisis has shown how dangerous the job can become,” says Pakistani sailor Kamil, who spoke to the BBC using an alias. “Many sailors may think differently about this profession.”
He is worried that access to international waterways will become weaponised in future conflicts.
Masood, the cook, is also having second thoughts about his seafaring career – he has only one month left on his contract.
But before making the big decision, he is just looking forward to returning to Pakistan and bringing gifts from Dubai for his family: Barbie dolls for his daughters and a toy airplane for his son.
“I thought I would be home soon, but we are still stuck,” he says.
“Every day my family asks when I will come back, but I have no answers for them.”
