Piraeus, Greece. Greek seafarers began a 24-hour strike on Thursday, halting local ferry services, to protest over vessel crews stranded in the Gulf amid an escalating Middle East war. They demanded the area be declared a war risk zone to enable repatriation.
Strike action and protest in Piraeus
Dozens of protesters rallied outside the shipowners union near the port of Piraeus and spray-painted “No sacrifice for profits and wars” on the ground. A motorcycle convoy drove to the shipping ministry.
Concerns over Iran conflict and maritime risks
The Iran conflict threatens Gulf ports and has disrupted global trade through the Strait of Hormuz, a key artery accounting for about 20% of global oil and gas supply. Although the Strait is not shut, Iran has warned that it will fire on any ship trying to pass through.
Greek shipping presence in the region
Greece controls one of the world’s largest merchant fleets. More than 325 ships of Greek interests, with crews including dozens of Greek seafarers, are in the wider Gulf area.
“We demand that all of our colleagues, currently in the dangerous Gulf area, the Gulf of Oman and the Red Sea, are evacuated and safely repatriated,” said Angelos Galanopoulos, head of Greece’s lower engine crews’ union Stephenson.
International and operational impacts
The International Maritime Organization said it is concerned for roughly 20,000 seafarers in the region. At least nine ships have been damaged in strikes since the conflict began on Saturday.
Ship tracking data showed dozens of ships remained at anchor in open waters off the coast of major Gulf producers, and dozens of oil tankers were inside the Strait.
Contractual rights and calls for accountability
Seafarers usually have the contractual right to refuse to sail in designated war zones and demand repatriation at the shipowner’s expense.
Risks include not only attacks but also potential food and supply shortages, said Apostolis Kypraios, head of the marine engineers’ union PEMEN. “The government and shipownwers are responsible for the people trapped in war areas,” Kypraios said.
What impact do you think a war risk designation would have on crews and shipping operations in the region?