‘Only job I know’: Philippine sailors return to sea despite wartime risks

What the report says

Filipino seafarers are continuing to seek jobs at shipping firms and recruitment agencies in Manila despite growing wartime dangers at sea, according to Al Jazeera. The report says many are preparing to return to vessels operating in or near the Strait of Hormuz and the Black Sea, where regional conflicts have disrupted shipping and put crews at risk.

One sailor, identified only as Gerald to protect his employment, described being stranded for weeks near Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates when attacks linked to the US-Israel conflict with Iran intensified and traffic through the Strait of Hormuz was effectively disrupted. He said the experience was frightening, but the income from seafaring has allowed him to support his family and build savings. Another sailor, Alberto Lobaton, said he also worries about safety but views the job as financially necessary, noting that maritime insurance would support his family if he were killed.

Al Jazeera says the Philippines supplies a large share of the world’s seafaring labor force, with many Filipinos among those affected by the Hormuz disruption and by attacks on merchant ships in the Black Sea tied to the Russia-Ukraine war. The Philippine government has urged shipowners to keep crews out of high-risk zones and reminded sailors they can refuse unsafe assignments.

The story highlights the limited choices facing many maritime workers: despite the danger, sailing remains the only trade some know, and the pay can be life-changing for families at home.