Stranded ships in Hormuz Strait risk 'biological catastrophe,' scientists warn

A new study warns that the approximately 1,500 cargo ships stranded in the Hormuz Strait since the conflict between the U.S. and Iran began could trigger a marine ecological disaster.

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If you had designed the worst possible scenario, I'm not sure you could have done it better.

Researchers highlight the risk of invasive species, like barnacles, hitching rides on these immobile vessels. Normally, ships transport microbes and algae between ports, but the extended periods of inactivity in the Hormuz Strait significantly increase the chances of organisms attaching and surviving the journey to new destinations.

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When you move organisms around, they can reduce the biodiversity in the regions where they invade and cause local extinction of organisms.

"If you had designed the worst possible scenario, I'm not sure you could have done it better," said the study's lead author, Mario Tamburri, to The Guardian. He explained that invasive species can reduce biodiversity and cause local extinctions in new regions. While acknowledging that human suffering in the area is the most pressing issue, Tamburri stressed the need for vigilance regarding the biological threat posed by the stranded ships.

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In many ways, it's like tracking the spread of influenza or COVID. You want to be prepared for it, detect it early. If you find it, you want to be able to act immediately.

Scientists are concerned about these vessels becoming "super-spreader events" for marine life, particularly in ports with temperatures similar to the Persian Gulf, such as those in India and Singapore. The Middle East region already contends with numerous invasive species that have arrived via international trade. Tamburri noted that hardy organisms, capable of withstanding extreme environments, often become the most successful invaders.

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It is the tough organisms that can often withstand these extreme environments that become really good invaders.