How many ships must sink before the world acts is the question most likely to get a response. Losing a few seafarers, most of which are from developing or third world countries is nothing compared to losing an entire ship and it’s cargo for most people and governments.
I agree. Sadly, the value of a seafarer’s life often seems to receive less attention than the loss of a ship or its cargo.
There is also an uncomfortable reality: most Western countries have very few of their own nationals working as crew on these high-risk trade routes. The people actually exposed are predominantly seafarers from developing countries—Asian, African and other nationalities.
So for many decision-makers, the human cost remains distant and invisible. But for the families of those seafarers, it is not a statistic—it is a life lost.
No. Wars are waged between nations. That is, an entire nation including the non-combatant civilians at home and remote from the fighting are engaged against the entirety of another nation or alliance.
The actual fighting is supposed to be conducted by the armed forces but we now have a new generation of warfare in which far more subtle means are used. In fifth generation warfare attacks can come in all sorts of guises and from uncertain sources. We have all suffered under attacks in recent years which, for instance, have inflicted grievous harm by means of diseases, psychological harm, frequency attacks, injections, evil medical protocols, influx of fighting age males from incompatible cultures, incitement to civil unrest, governments unresponsive to their native populations and many more.
In many cases populations don’t know they are being attacked, or who is attacking if they do know. Civilians are dying in many countries.
Seafarers are not immune. There is simply no possibility that warlike operations in troubled areas will not affect shipping. We don’t have the luxury of imagining that soldiers are the only ones doing the fighting and dying and ships can sail serenely through. Ships are carrying the cargoes that are essential for just about everything. Ships are the actual targets because of that importance. Seafarers will die but many more ashore will also die or suffer whenever there’s a war.
To stop seafarers dying, we have to stop the wars. The world is in the grip of dark satanic forces.
I see Trump as a champion of the eventual solution because he knows what he is up against and has the will and the means to win. Who else does?
From NRK just now: Krig og konflikt i Midtøsten – Siste nytt – NRK
19:54 Iran: Oil tanker on fire in Strait of Hormuz
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard says an oil tanker has hit a mine and is on fire, Reuters reports.
I beleive Trump was blaming India that India was buying the Russian crude oil and hence financing the Russia in the war but now after trade deal with Russia for Diesel supply - As per that logic, He is supporting both sides to continue war for much longer time - As he is financing the Russia and providing weapons to Ukraine. You beleive too much on Trump but he doesn’t beleive himself what he says in the morning, he contradicts in the evening or next day.
Yes and 3-4 ships in Black Sea also..
Drone attack on MT PETRO DOLPHIN at Sohar Anchorage: Nine Indian seafarers rescued, two missing
SOHAR: A drone attack on tanker MT PETRO DOLPHIN at Sohar Anchorage off the coast of Oman on October 11 has left two Indian seafarers missing, while nine other Indian crew members have been successfully rescued and reported safe, according to Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Shri Sarbananda Sonowal. In an update shared on social media, the Minister confirmed that the vessel, carrying 11 Indian seafarers, was subjected to a drone attack…
I take Trump seriously, but not literally. He’s the world’s best troll and he has you lot dancing to his tune. You think he doesn’t know what he’s doing. I think he knows exactly what he is doing and he is keeping the world guessing what that is.
You won’t have to wait long as I suspect something big is about to break in the next month that will affect the whole world. My guess is you will thank him.
Yes, he would have singlehandedly lost the House, and perhaps the Senate. 
CinC Shidalot is just the top of the pile, the American people sold the House and Senate when Citizens United was passed.
My needs are simple . Spring has sprung, the soil surface temperature has hit 10°C and my mower burns diesel. There are a number of American addresses that are missing from this year’s Christmas list.
2 more ships hit off Bulgaria, with 11 more seafarers missing.
Yep, passing a law banning any political gift or contribution over $1000 and eliminating the electoral college would begin to restore democracy. But, it won’t happen because the powers that be do not want democracy.
Thereby throttling the democratic rights of citizens to materially support representatives.
Thereby throttling the equal democratic representation of the states of the union as opposed to the people who are represented more directly.
The powers that be are you the citizens. Make it happen yourselves.
UKMTO says 20 attacks in the strait since Oct 1 (ABC), Seatrade counts 24 warnings, and Kpler counted 10 tankers struck from Sep 28 to Oct 4. The overall toll before October was 80 verified attacks and at least 22 seafarer deaths as of 16 September, and about 24 deaths and 100 ships by 9 October (CNBC). Most of these reports are unverified, and attackers and the status of some ships are still unclear.
How many unreported attacks on civilian ships have there been in and around Hormuz since this present Iran war started 28. Febr,? How many in the Black Sea and beyond?
How many deaths and injuries does it take before this sh*t stops?
Yes I know, the seafarers affected are mostly from “developing countries” (ie not Europeans or Americans), but a life lost is one too many, regardless of their skin colour, nationality, race, or religion.
Can there be a hope for something concrete coming from this?:
If so, can the US manage to broker a deal between Ukraine and Russia, thus stopping the killing of innocent seafarers in the Black?
Sadly, there isn’t much hope of anything positive happening anytime soon.
Right now, ships are being attacked in the Strait of Hormuz. Most of them aren’t reporting it. But why?
That’s not my claim. UKMTO, the body that tracks maritime security incidents in the region, says attacks are being underreported because most vessels hit are choosing to stay silent.
Let that sink in.
A ship gets hit. And the world never hears about it.
Having commanded ships myself, I can tell you why that happens:
→ Report it, and your war-risk premium jumps
→ Report it, and charterers start asking questions
→ Report it, and your ship’s name lands on someone’s list
So the incident is logged, the crew patches the damage, and the voyage continues.
Now look at the map this month:
Hormuz: attacks at a record high, mines still a threat
Bab el-Mandeb: Houthis now hold Yemen’s entire Red Sea coast
Black Sea: two tankers struck, seven crew reported missing
Sanctions: Washington now targeting lawyers and shipping agents, not just ships
Three chokepoints. One common denominator.
The seafarer.
He didn’t start these wars. He has no vote on sanctions. On paper he may have the right to refuse a war-zone voyage. In practice, refusing can cost him his next contract.
Markets watch oil above $110.
Navies talk about “freedom of navigation.”
Who’s counting the crew?
My ask to owners and flag states: make reporting safe. No Master should have to choose between telling the truth and keeping his ship commercially viable.
What should change first: stronger protection, or a real right to refuse?