India Bars Deployment of Seafarers in Strait of Hormuz After Fatal Attacks

The Directorate General of Maritime Administration (DGMA) has directed ship owners, managers, and recruitment agencies to avoid deploying Indian sailors on vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz until further notice, amid escalating tensions in West Asia.

The advisory, issued on Wednesday, follows attacks on two vessels—MT Al Bahiyah and MT Mombasa—in the strategic waterway earlier this week. The ships carried a combined crew of 46, including 30 Indian nationals. One Indian seafarer was killed and another injured on MT Al Bahiyah, while nine Indian crew members sustained injuries on MT Mombasa.

In its directive, the DGMA said masters of vessels operating in the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and adjoining waters must maintain heightened security vigilance. They are required to monitor navigational warnings and security advisories, and implement all applicable ship security measures under the International Ship and Port Security (ISPS) code.

“Ship owners, ship managers and Recruitment and Placement Service Licence (RPSL) companies are directed to avoid deploying Indian seafarers on vessels undertaking voyages involving passage through the Strait of Hormuz until further order,” the advisory stated.

The government has also asked the DGMA to set up a dashboard providing real-time information about Indian seafarers on every vessel operating in the region, regardless of the ship’s flag. Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal instructed the authority to establish a comprehensive vessel-by-vessel operational dashboard to account for every Indian crew member in the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Gulf of Oman.

The move aims to enhance safety and coordination for Indian seafarers amid the volatile security situation in the region.