ITF: Seafarers in Persian Gulf now rationing food

ITF: Seafarers in Persian Gulf now rationing food
Yashika F. Torib April 1, 2026 https://www.manilatimes.net/2026/04/01/business/maritime/itf-seafarers-i...

Filipino seafarers are the most preferred crew to man the global fleet — thus the current Middle East crisis hits home hard, with thousands of them currently stranded in areas affected. TMT FILE PHOTO BY DUNCAN TORRES
OUTBOUND oil tankers are no longer just the vessels trapped in the ongoing war in the Middle East.

Last Monday, the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) reported that food and water provisions are no longer coming in with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, leaving seafarers rationing their supplies.

“We have been receiving text messages from seafarers saying we're running low on provisions, we're running low on fuel, we're running low on water, we're running low on food,” ITF Maritime Coordinator Jacqueline Smith said on a separate report.

An article released by the Straits Times reveal that seafarers onboard vessels in the Persian Gulf are “rationing food and water anxiously hoping supplies will get through Iran’s blockade in the war.”

The report recounted the statement of an Indian seafarer who said that they are now boiling water for drinking.

Meanwhile, a ship captain said that his vessel was stuck at anchor off Qatar near the major Ras Laffan liquefied natural gas plant. The plant was hit by an Iranian attack last March 19.

“If the port shuts down completely, then there is no possibility of getting the crew out. So that’s one worry,” said the captain who asked not to be named so his vessel could not be identified.

“Another worry is also about the food supplies, the water supplies and everything else that needs to be supplied to the crew. That would require a provision top-up every 10 to 15 days,” he said.

He said the team was reducing shifts and meals in case supplies get cut off.

“We are starting with food and water rationing on board, just so we can stretch out the number of days we go with available resources in case food, water and fuel are unavailable,” the ship captain lamented.

“This wasn’t the case in the beginning, and that is going to just be increasing if there’s no end in sight to the conflict,” Smith said.

IMO urges for seafarer evacuation

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) called for the creation of a safe shipping “corridor” in the Gulf to evacuate stranded vessels and seafarers.

The Council called for a coordinated approach to security be adopted and that the response be internationally coordinated.

IMO encouraged its member states to facilitate crew change and crew renewal operations in accordance with international standards, to safeguard the health, safety and well-being of the seafarers affected.

It also urged member states to ensure that seafarers’ communication with their families and friends can be maintained and that stores and provisions remain adequate for their needs.

Meanwhile, Smith added that the ITF called on countries where the ships are flagged, such as Panama and Liberia, to issue guidance to shipowners and seafarers to organize their repatriation.

“I hope that governments will start coordinating their approach when it comes to the welfare of the seafarers,” she said.
Advertisement

“Employers did say that they have not had any issues ordering provisions, so the seafarers that have contacted us must be on vessels with unserious employers.”

About 20,000 seafarers are reportedly stuck near the Strait of Hormuz.