The Strait of Hormuz has become a bottleneck for more than just crude oil. For seafarers like PK Vijay from Kerala, India, it's a personal straitjacket.

Vijay was promised stable work but ended up on a scrap vessel with no pay and no way home. Months turned into years as his ship became an abandoned vessel in a global shipping maze where ownership, regulation, and responsibility often diverge.

Since the conflict began, civilian ships have become targets, leaving 20,000 seafarers and port workers at risk. For those stranded, like Vijay, there’s no clear path to freedom—especially on poorly regulated or abandoned ships. The International Maritime Organization has identified high-risk areas but cooperation from ship owners is often lacking.

The rise of abandoned ships in 2025 saw 409 vessels and more than 6,200 seafarers affected globally, with Indian nationals being the most impacted. ITF officials report receiving dozens of distress calls daily from seafarers on vessels where owners have ceased communication.

For Vijay, hope dwindles as he tries to keep his family reassured over phone calls: 'I know I can be a happy person again if I can go back to my family.' But the infrastructure that brought him here continues to function, leaving him trapped between systems and conflict.