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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 81 Filipino seafarers safe after 4 Philippine-registered vessels exit Strait of Hormuz—DFA

81 Filipino seafarers safe after 4 Philippine-registered vessels exit Strait of Hormuz—DFA

Published Jul 19, 2026 02:40 pm

At A Glance

  • Four Philippine-registered vessels have safely transited the Strait of Hormuz and exited the conflict area in the Persian Gulf, the DFA said.
  • All 81 Filipino seafarers aboard the vessels are safe, with most resuming work while others have returned home.
  • The DFA said some Filipino seafarers remain stranded in the region despite the suspension of evacuation operations after the ceasefire.
File photo
File photo

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced that four Philippine-registered vessels carrying 81 Filipino seafarers have safely transited the Strait of Hormuz and exited the conflict area in the Persian Gulf, easing concerns over the safety of Filipino mariners caught in months of heightened tensions in one of the world's busiest shipping lanes.

In a statement on July 18, the DFA said MV Lyng Trader, MV Western Doncaster, MV Vivian Trader, and MV Eva Fuji completed their passage through the strategic waterway between June 24 and July 1.

The department said all 81 Filipino seafarers aboard the four vessels are safe, with most having resumed their regular seafaring duties while others have returned home to their families.

The DFA credited the United Nations and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for establishing the evacuation framework that enabled the vessels to safely leave the conflict zone.

According to the DFA, the mechanism has so far facilitated the safe passage of 136 vessels and approximately 2,900 seafarers out of the conflict area.

Data released by the IMO likewise showed that its evacuation operations moved 136 vessels carrying around 2,900 seafarers from the region before the operation was halted, underscoring the scale of the international effort to reduce risks to commercial shipping.

The DFA, however, said evacuation operations were suspended following the end of the temporary ceasefire between Iran and the United States, leaving some Filipino seafarers still stranded in the region.

It said the government continues to closely monitor developments and remains committed to ensuring the safety of the remaining Filipino seafarers and securing their eventual safe passage home.

The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway linking the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, is one of the world's most critical energy and shipping corridors, with roughly a fifth of global oil supplies passing through it.

The passage has been heavily disrupted in recent months by the conflict involving Iran and the United States, prompting repeated warnings from the IMO that commercial shipping remained exposed to significant security risks even as international efforts continued to evacuate stranded vessels and seafarers.

The latest development comes months after Iran assured the Philippines that Philippine-flagged vessels and Filipino seafarers would be allowed safe and unimpeded passage through the Strait of Hormuz following high-level diplomatic engagements between Manila and Tehran.

Related Tags

DFA Department of Foreign Affairs Strait of Hormuz Filipino seafarers
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