The number of ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz has increased after Iran announced that “non-hostile” ships could pass through in coordination with Iranian authorities. But the future is uncertain, according to the captain of an oil tanker who was allowed to sail safely after being stranded in the area for three weeks.
“While certain parties may say they will allow safe passage, the conditions for safe passage depend on many factors and there are too many parties involved,” Captain Sumanth Bhaktavatsaram said.
Mr. Bhaktavatsaram, an Indian national, is a tanker captain with 27 years of seafaring experience. But he had never before led a crew stranded at sea during an escalating conflict.
“It was very intense,” he told CNN. “We were able to actually see the projectiles and Navy and Air Force activity, and we were able to actually see some of the damage on the coastline.”
Mr Bhaktavatsaram and his crew were stranded in the Gulf of Oman for three weeks until the ship was able to sail safely under military escort from undisclosed local authorities. He did not provide further details about the ship or what flag it was sailing under.
He said their tanker suffered from near-total GPS jamming, forcing the crew to rely on conventional navigation methods. Keeping crew morale high was another challenge that Bhaktavatsaram addressed through open communication, one-on-one check-ins, and remote counseling support.
Supplies were tight, but his ship was still in relatively good condition compared to other ships.
“For sure, we are definitely among the lucky ones,” he said. “In some places, there are extreme cases where you have to ration water and make do with what you have.”
Bhaktavatsaram was one of an estimated 20,000 sailors stranded in the region caught in the crossfire of the war between the United States, Israel and Iran.
