The Mission to Seafarers (MtS) is urging people to pray for mariners in the Gulf as a two-week ceasefire begins between the US, Israel and Iran in return for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz shipping channel.

Thousands of seafarers have been stranded in the region since tensions erupted on 28 February. An estimated 20,000 seafarers were trapped by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and more than 3,000 vessels delayed or unable to transit the region, meaning as many as 60,000 seafarers have been stranded at sea since the war began.

Writing in a prayer diary ahead of the ceasefire announcement, Peter Rouch, Secretary General at The Mission to Seafarers, said: “These are individuals who, in ordinary times, remain largely invisible. Their work is essential, but their lives are often overlooked. Now, in a moment of heightened danger, their vulnerability is laid bare.” Urging prayer, he continued: “What does it mean to stand alongside those who cannot simply step away from danger? What does it mean to ensure that they are not left to face it alone? There are no easy answers. But there are choices: to notice, to care, to act.”

MtS is a leading international maritime welfare charity, and it continues to deliver emergency assistance and remote welfare support. It said many seafarers have had no option but to remain on board vessels operating in a volatile environment. Extended time at sea without shore leave or crew changes has also raised serious concerns about fatigue, stress, and overall safety.

Peter Rouch said: ”Once again, men and women who simply set out to do their jobs — sustaining global trade and supporting the daily lives of communities around the world — find themselves in harm’s way.

“Their work may not command headlines. It rarely does. But it matters It matters because in the end, the measure of a society is not only how it celebrates strength, but how it responds to vulnerability. And out at sea, beyond the horizon of most of our daily lives, that measure is being quietly tested.”