BoatOn
4 min read
20,000 Seafarers Trapped in the Strait of Hormuz: Who Really Protects Maritime Crews?
Since late February 2026, approximately 20,000 seafarers have been trapped aboard some 800 vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. Civilians caught in a military confrontation between major powers. Neither prisoners of war, nor hostages, nor shipwreck survivors: seafarers caught in geopolitical crises exist in a legal blind spot of international law. This article reviews the applicable legal framework, the actual obligations of shipowners, and the concrete actions needed to protect














