The captain of an oil tanker trapped by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz hopes “sanity prevails” as he and his crew wait for the vital shipping corridor to reopen.
Yesterday, US President Donald Trump announced a pause to “Project Freedom”, a short-lived effort that would have used American air and naval assets to escort ships through the Strait, in the hope a more permanent solution could be found with Iran.
Around 2000 vessels have been stuck since the war began, waiting to pass through.
Among them is an oil tanker captained by Raman Kapoor. His ship has been waiting in the northern part of the Persian Gulf since the war began on February 28, over two months ago.
He told Breakfast he and his crew were constantly across news updates, waiting to hear if his vessel could get moving.
“We keep getting various news, and every day statements are being changed, and nothing concrete is happening,” he said.
“So let’s see, I hope sanity prevails, and it ends soon.”
Kapoor’s ship, carrying crude oil, is crewed by 24 sailors from India. He and his crew were “keeping safe” and were in much higher spirits following a lull in morale early in the war.
“When war started, things were very uncertain, and my crew went through various mindsets.
“They were under stress and anxious, not knowing what was going to happen to us.”
He said they had witnessed missiles flying overhead.
“We’ve seen them from very up close, direct missiles we could see, like hundreds of them we have witnessed. We have witnessed explosions.
“All these things are scary, so my crew was devastated and frightened.”
As a captain, Kapoor said: “It’s my duty to keep my crew’s morale high.
“I tried my best to keep them calm, composed, and focused towards their duties.
“My ship’s safety and my crew’s safety is my top priority.”
Now, two months into their wait to pass through the strait, Kapoor said the ship was well stocked with provisions, and the crew was carrying on with their daily tasks.
The strait was effectively closed when the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran on February 28. Several commercial vessels were attacked while trying to pass through, making it a hugely risky endeavour.
The US has also imposed a blockade on several Iranian ports in the region. A tanker was recently shot by a US fighter jet in the Gulf of Oman as it tried to breach the blockade.
The closure of the strait has sent oil prices skyrocketing. On Wednesday (US time), the spot price of Brent crude oil fell to US$100, still much higher than the roughly $70 that crude was selling for before the war.
New Zealand, which imports all its refined fuel from Asia, which in turn comes from raw crude out of the Strait, saw its stocks drop yesterday.
However, the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment said it was expected "given the recent arrival of several shipments". The Ministry said the supply chain was “operating smoothly”.
The morning's headlines in 90 seconds, including the US strikes an Iranian flagged ship, and the people who left a virus ridden cruise ship early are forced into isolation. (Source: 1News)
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