by Tracy Cabrera
After months of conflict between Iran and the United States and its allies, the naval blockade on the Strait of Hormuz–through which 20 percent of the world’s petroleum supply passes by–has finally reopened and this has somehow focused as well on the life of seafarers who man the cargo vessels traveling to and from the vital waterway.
It may be recalled that during the conflict, around 4,000 Filipino seamen were stranded aboard their ships in the Persian Gulf for nearly five months. But the reopening of the Strait has brought relief to thousands of maritime workers whose job depend on the accessibility of the critical route for trade in the region.
Still, Philippine Transmarine Carriers (PTC) chairman Ambassador Carlos Salinas has his personal take on the experiences of Filipino seafarers whose life has become paradoxical given the challenges of working at sea.
Accordingly, Salinas highlight June 25 as a special day to celebrate and honor the millions of maritime workers all over the world.
The Day of the Seafarer was established in a resolution adopted by the 2010 Diplomatic Conference in Manila to recognize the unique contributions of seafarers to international trade and the global economy.
“We draw the world’s attention to the risks and challenges that seafarers face in the performance of their role in global trade and humanitarian assistance,” the distinguished diplomat and maritime advocate underscored.
In agreement, the International Maritime Organization (IMO)’s secretary-general, Arsenio Dominguez, likewise stressed in a statement to throw light upon the day’s significance, saying that seafarers around the world keep global trade moving every single day.
“Behind everything we rely on, from food, fuel, medicine, and everyday goods, are people working at sea, often far from home and family,” Dominguez enthused.
He pointed out that this year’s theme, ‘Carrying World Trade, Carrying the Risks’, is especially meaningful in light of ongoing geopolitical tensions, through which seafarers continue to sail: “They face long periods at sea, not knowing when they will return home, enduring isolation and limited communication with their families.”
His words carry weight not only because of their truth, but because they are spoken in the aftermath of the attack on the tanker MT Settebello off Oman, which claimed the lives of three seafarers.
“Seafarers should never become unintended victims of wider geopolitical conflicts,” Dominguez said.
“Whether in the Read Sea, Black Sea, the Strait of Hormuz or other challenging regions, we must remember that every ship carries more than cargo; it carries people. People with families waiting for them at home, spending long months at sea in isolation, fatigued, and the stress of operating in unpredictable conditions while continuing to deliver the goods, energy and supplies that the whole world relies upon.”
“Yet the paradox is inescapable: We celebrate seafarers even as they sail through danger. How do we reconcile a day of recognition with the reality of constant attack? We can only navigate it by accepting both realities,” he continued.
He described seafarers as the invisible backbone, the unseen lifeline of globalization.
“Every sack of rice, every barrel of oil, every box of medicine that finds its way to us depends on their labor. Yet their work is often taken for granted until disruption strikes,” he noted.
“Seafarers shoulder prosperity and peril alike. They are celebrated as essential workers, but their daily reality is marked by fatigue, isolation, and now, escalating violence.”
Since Feb. 28, 2026, the IMO has confirmed 46 attacks on international shipping in and around the Strait of Hormuz, with 14 seafarer fatalities. These numbers are not abstractions. Each fatality is a human story: a father who will not return home, a mother whose children will grow up without her, a son or daughter whose voyage ended in silence.
In ending, IMO’s secretary-general emphasized that the Day of the Seafarer should be both a celebration and a call to responsibility.
“To say ‘thank you’ is to pledge: we will not let gratitude be hollow. Solidarity must take the form of crisis response mechanisms, mental health support, and fair compensation for risk. It must mean listening to seafarers’ voices, acknowledging their fears, and valuing their courage. To honor seafarers is to commit to their protection. Nations must safeguard shipping lanes, enforce international law, and ensure that seafarers are not abandoned to fate,” Dominguez concluded.
