An Indian-flagged vessel experienced a tense situation while navigating the Strait of Hormuz after a routine journey home turned chaotic due to US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran.
What began as a routine journey home quickly turned into a tense and uncertain ordeal for the crew of an Indian-flagged vessel navigating the volatile Strait of Hormuz. On February 27, after loading cargo at Ras Laffan in Qatar, the ship’s captain and crew were preparing to set sail for India, a familiar route through well-known waters. But within hours, the situation escalated dramatically. The next day, coordinated airstrikes by the US and Israel on multiple sites across Iran threw the region into chaos.
“We were all set to leave, but everything suddenly came to a halt,” a senior officer of the vessel recalled. “Reports of major airstrikes started coming in, and we had no choice but to seek refuge at a safe anchorage in a UAE port.”
As tensions intensified, the crew began facing unexpected technical issues. GPS signals became unreliable, and several onboard instruments stopped functioning properly, adding to the growing anxiety.
“We were constantly tracking news and updates about the conflict,” the officer said. “At the same time, we followed every advisory from DG Shipping, the Shipping Corporation of India, and the Indian Navy.”
While the threat of being in a conflict zone was daunting, another challenge soon emerged — dwindling supplies of drinking water.
“Food wasn’t a problem; we had enough to last over a month,” the officer explained., according to TOI. “But potable water was becoming scarce. Ships can produce only limited fresh water when stationary, and older vessels generate even less. We could have managed for another 7–10 days at most.”
This limitation stems from the ship’s freshwater generation system, which depends on the heat and power produced by the main engine, something that wasn’t fully operational while the vessel remained anchored.
Keeping morale high during this period was another critical task. Crew members had to be reassured that they would make it back safely, especially as uncertainty loomed large. “There was a lot of stress, but small things helped,” the officer said. “Even watching cricket World Cup matches made a difference and lifted spirits on board.”
After nearly ten days of waiting, relief finally came. On March 13, the crew received word that they could resume their journey later that night.
“We didn’t have prior notice, but we knew the Indian government was working towards ensuring safe passage,” the officer said. “We were in touch with the Indian Navy, which escorted us after we crossed the Strait of Hormuz. We had no direct contact with the Iranian Navy.”
