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Hong Kong shipowners say crews stranded in Strait of Hormuz are safe
An industry representative said about 1,600 seafarers on roughly 80 ships have supplies and video counselling while vessels stay clear of Iran’s border area.
According to SCMP Economy, crews aboard about 80 Hong Kong-owned ships have been stranded in the Strait of Hormuz for about five months, but an industry representative said the seafarers face little immediate danger despite the ongoing stand off.
Kenneth Lam Sze-kin, deputy chairman of the Hong Kong Shipowners Association, said around 1,600 crew members would remain safe on ships owned by Hong Kong companies as long as shipowners keep paying for essentials like supplies and electricity on board. Lam added that access to video counselling is available.
Lam said most of the vessels remain in the northern part of the waterway and that, to his knowledge, the ships will try to keep clear of Iran, which borders the northern coast. He also said there are no Hongkongers among the crew, which is mostly mainland Chinese, Filipinos, Indians, and Eastern Europeans.
The outlet reports Lam said Hong Kong shipowners would treat all crew members equally regardless of nationality, emphasizing that the key issue from shipowners’ perspective is the crews working aboard their vessels.