Key facts
- India has ordered shipowners not to deploy Indian seafarers on vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
- Two Indian seafarers were killed in recent attacks in the region.
- The Directorate General of Maritime Administration issued the advisory due to heightened security.
- Shipping companies are avoiding U.S.-guided transits through the Strait of Hormuz due to safety concerns.
- Japan's trade chief stated the Strait of Hormuz is currently off-limits due to renewed hostilities.
- The IEA warns of potential economic shock if tanker traffic through Hormuz remains halted.
India has directed shipowners and recruitment firms to avoid deploying Indian seafarers on vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz amid escalating tensions and recent attacks in the region. The order comes after two Indian seafarers were killed in attacks on vessels in the past three days. The Directorate General of Maritime Administration cited a "heightened security situation" and "significantly" increased risks for commercial ships and their crews operating in the Persian Gulf.
Japan's trade chief previously stated that the Strait of Hormuz is currently off-limits due to renewed hostilities, potentially increasing shipping costs. Shipping companies are also avoiding U.S.-guided transits through the strait due to safety concerns following a series of attacks. The International Energy Agency (IEA) warns that the world has only weeks to avoid an economic shock if tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains halted. The Joint Maritime Information Center reaffirmed its regional threat level for the Strait of Hormuz at "severe."