India Halts Seafarer Deployments Through Hormuz

India has directed shipowners, ship managers, and recruitment agencies to stop deploying Indian seafarers on vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz until further notice. The order comes as security risks in the region escalate following renewed fighting and recent attacks on commercial ships.

The Directorate General of Shipping said the decision was taken to protect Indian sailors after two seafarers were killed in separate vessel attacks over the past three days. The regulator has also instructed ship masters operating in the Persian Gulf and surrounding waters to remain on high alert and continuously monitor security and navigational warnings.

India, the world’s third-largest supplier of seafarers, has more than 300,000 sailors serving on global shipping fleets. According to the Forward Seamen’s Union of India, over 15,000 Indian seafarers remain stranded west of the Strait of Hormuz, raising concerns about their safety as tensions in the region continue to rise.

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