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How six stranded cruise ships made their daring escape from the Gulf
It’s the kind of headline that makes you sit bolt upright: the six cruise ships previously stranded in the Gulf have now managed to escape the region, seizing the brief window provided by the ceasefire to sail through the Iranian-controlled Strait of Hormuz.
The fleet included two ships operated by TUI(Mein Schiff 4 and 5, which had been moored in Abu Dhabi and Doha respectively), MSC’s Euribia (which sailed from Dubai), two ships belonging to Greece-based cruise provider Celestyal (Journey, which had taken refuge at Doha’s port, and Discovery, which sailed from Dubai), and one from the Saudi Arabian cruise line Aroya, which came from the Saudi port city of Dammam.
TUI’s ship Mein Schiff 4 was among those stranded in Doha - Hasan Zaidi/Alamy Stock PhotoWhile passengers and surplus staff had been evacuated several weeks earlier, the 200m vessels were still being staffed and operated by a crew of dozens, and guided by brave captains who were tasked with navigating perhaps the most notorious waterway on Earth.
‘Catastrophic damage to ships’
It all sounds pretty hairy, but just how risky was the venture? Sailing through the Strait isn’t to be taken lightly at the best of times, say those familiar with its navigation challenges. The rocky terrain and twisting route make it impossible for any large ship to sail without veering into Iranian territory, and thus coming into some kind of contact (even if only on radar) with the country’s feared Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
“I definitely remember sailing alongside IRGC speedboats when sailing through the Strait [10 years ago],” says Nick Chubb, a former merchant navy officer who now runs the maritime consultancy Thetius and co-hosts the UnDocked maritime podcast. At the time, the waterway was still very much considered open for international traffic, but that didn’t stop the IRGC doing a bit of sabre-rattling to remind ships who was in charge.
These days, the situation is different on multiple levels: not only has Iran effectively closed the Strait (with a 95 per cent drop-off in shipping traffic since the conflict began), but the IRGC itself has updated both its tactics and its arsenal, with its weapon of choice being cheaply produced drones that can cause catastrophic damage to ships.
The Strait of Hormuz remains closed’ reads a giant billboard in Tehran’s Enghelab Square - EPA/Shutterstock/Abedin TaherkenarehA show of solidarity
Before the Trump-brokered ceasefire, the Iranians thought nothing about turning their firepower on commercial tankers looking to traverse the Strait. At the beginning of March, a Thai-registered carrier called the Mayuree Naree was struck by some kind of projectile when sailing past the coast of Oman, forcing the crew to flee in fear of their lives.
How did the cruise ships escape? Speaking to those with insider knowledge of the voyage, it involved sailing extremely close to the Omani coast – an option that wouldn’t be available to much larger oil tankers – in order to avoid Iranian waters. The ships also kept their communication channels fully open and sailed during daylight, so their identity would be clear.
There was even coordination with the US Navy, who had agreed to provide cover if needed. At least one of the cruiseliners, Celestyal, also gave all of its crew the option of disembarking at Dubai: but those seafarers on board agreed to complete the journey. In an act of solidarity, the company’s chief operating officer boarded the ship for the unique voyage.
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By staying out of the Iran-controlled waters, the cruise ships were able to reduce the risk. But that doesn’t eliminate it entirely: for a start, the IRGC can be difficult to predict, even when there is a ceasefire in place.
“The IRGC is able to operate with a fragmented command structure, so it is feasible that you may get certain units or commanders deciding to target ships to make money or make a name for themselves,” says Christian Le Miere, a defence and security expert and founder of the consultancy Arcipel.
A US Navy ship patrols the Arabian Sea, in close proximity to Iran’s Touska cargo ship - Getty ImagesHigh stress levels
What options do cruise ships have if they come under attack? Not many, says Chubb. When it comes to security, merchant ships sometimes have armed security when sailing in areas known for piracy, but in general they rely on their crew for most scenarios. “These ships have zero defensive capabilities in a military sense,” he says.
Neither does the threat recede when the ship has left Iranian waters. As the attacks on Dubai and Doha have shown, the IRGC is equipped with attack drones that can travel hundreds of miles. Even once the ships had cleared the Strait itself and sailed into the Arabian Sea, they could still have been in range for an attack.
TUI’s Mein Schiff 4 is now making its way back to European waters - Hasan Zaidi/Alamy Stock PhotoSeizing the opportunity
Given the obvious dangers, you might ask why the cruise operators were so insistent on pulling their ships out of the Gulf in the first place. Those familiar with the workings of the industry, however, know the decision isn’t as rash as it might seem – not least because any cruise ship sitting in port is rapidly losing money, all while running up higher insurance premiums.
There would be humanitarian considerations, too. By some estimates, more than 50,000 seafarers were stuck in the region prior to the ceasefire, usually legally bound to stay with their ships. Under the current situation, it isn’t like cruise companies could fly in additional crew to replace them, hence the decision to leave during the first safe window.
But as for when they and the other cruise companies might be back in the Gulf – with today’s news that Iran has seized two “non-compliant” cargo ships in the Strait, the future of cruising in the region looks more uncertain than ever.
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