Hormuz is a test of trust for shipmanagers

The following is a contributed piece by Sebastian von Hardenberg, president of InterManager.

The crisis in and around the Strait of Hormuz is often discussed in terms of vessel delays, energy security, freight markets and the wider risk to global trade. Those issues are important, but for shipmanagers the crisis is also a very direct test of relationships: with the owners we serve, with the crews under our care, and with the families waiting anxiously at home.

Many vessels and crews have been caught on both sides of the disruption. For those on board, this is not an abstract geopolitical event. It is a daily source of pressure, uncertainty and concern, made harder by the fact that families are watching events unfold from afar and often fearing the worst. Seafarers are expected to remain professional, keep vessels safe and be ready for changing instructions, while also carrying the emotional strain of a fast-moving security situation.

That is why I have described this as a make-or-break moment for relationships. Shipmanagers are trusted by owners to keep vessels ready, safe and operational, particularly if a window opens and a ship needs to move at short notice. At the same time, crews need to know they are being listened to, that their concerns are understood and that decisions are not being taken without proper regard for their welfare.

This balance is not always easy. If an owner decides it is time for a vessel to move, the manager has to be ready. That means discussing scenarios in advance, supporting the master, keeping the vessel prepared and ensuring the crew understands what may happen next. Readiness cannot be improvised at the last moment, especially when people have already been living under pressure for days or weeks.

However, readiness must not come at the expense of honest engagement with the crew. A crew is not one person with one view. It is a group of individuals with different family circumstances, different levels of experience and different attitudes to risk. Some may be willing to remain on board if they understand the plan and the support available. Others may wish to be repatriated as soon as that becomes possible. The manager's role is to stay close enough to understand those wishes as they develop, rather than assuming there is one answer that suits everyone.

This is also why communication matters so much. Crews need transparent discussions about the risks, the possible scenarios and the options available to them. Families need confidence that the people they love have not been forgotten. Owners need a clear picture of what is happening on board, including the level of stress being carried by the crew. Good shipmanagement depends on keeping all of those relationships close at the same time.

The Hormuz crisis has also shown that mental well-being is no longer a secondary issue. It is central to whether seafarers feel supported and whether they continue to see their employer as one they can trust. Crews speak to one another constantly, including through Telegram channels and other social platforms, and they compare how companies behave in difficult moments. If a manager is absent, unclear or slow to respond, that will be known. If a manager is present, honest and supportive, that will be known too.

This matters beyond the immediate crisis. The industry is already facing a tightening labour market, with young people in traditional recruitment countries such as the Philippines and India having more opportunities ashore than previous generations. Shipping must continue to attract new seafarers every year, and that will require investment not only in established recruitment centres but also in second- and third-tier cities and in regions such as Africa, where there is significant potential for the future.

Yet recruitment will only succeed if shipping can show that a career at sea is one in which people are properly supported. The perception of war and conflict is not helpful to an industry that needs to attract young talent. If seafarers believe they may be left without support in moments of crisis, they will take that message back to their colleagues, families and communities. If they feel respected and protected, the industry strengthens its case as an employer.

The Strait of Hormuz crisis will pass, but the way ship managers respond will be remembered. Owners will remember who was prepared and practical. Crews will remember who communicated honestly and treated them as people, not just as part of an operating plan. For shipmanagers, that is the real test: not only whether vessels can be made ready to sail, but whether the trust that safe shipmanagement depends on can withstand the pressure.