Seafarers Await Return as Strait of Hormuz Reopens Amid US‑Iran Accord

Some 20,000 crew members have been stranded for months amid the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Published On 15 Jun 202615 Jun 2026

Maritime advocates have cautiously welcomed the provisional agreement to relieve tension in the Gulf. The deal, which lifts the Iranian “toll booth” and ends the U.S. naval blockade, is expected to enable the return of roughly 20,000 crew members who have been stranded for months.

U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed the strait would reopen on Friday, following Iran’s removal of its maritime toll system. The announcement was met with relief by the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), whose Secretary‑General Thomas Kazakos said it marked a positive step for seafarers “caught in the middle of this war.”

“Ensuring the safe return of crews should be a top priority, but it will take time,” Kazakos added in a statement to Al Jazeera.

Manoj Yadav, General Secretary of the Forward Seamen’s Union of India, likewise welcomed the development. “If this agreement becomes a reality, we would like to extend our congratulations, as thousands of Indian sailors are currently stranded there,” he said.

The United Nations International Maritime Organization (IMO) announced plans to begin evacuating seafarers who have been trapped in the waterway since the U.S. and Israel initiated their conflict with Iran on February 28. IMO Secretary‑General Arsenio Dominguez emphasized that evacuation would proceed once all necessary safety and security guarantees are in place.

According to the ICT, some 500 vessels are awaiting passage through the strait. During the conflict, Iran and the U.S. have carried out 46 documented attacks on international shipping, resulting in at least 14 seafarer casualties, as reported by the IMO.

Sea mines laid in the strait remain a concern, as they have not yet been fully cleared by minesweepers.

Steven Jones, founder of the Seafarers Happiness Index, noted that seafarers will require time to feel secure in the channel, regardless of any diplomatic agreement. “From a seafarer’s perspective, a ceasefire and talk of ‘reopening’ is encouraging, but declarations alone are insufficient; the focus must be on risk and trust,” Jones told Al Jazeera.

“The term ‘open’ is not a switch; it reflects a convergence of judgment by shipowners, charterers, insurers, masters, and crews that a voyage is acceptable,” he added. “Building this confidence demands consistent peace, credible threat reduction, reliable communications, and several cycles of uneventful transits.”

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