The Hormuz bonus: Sailor salaries soar for transits amid Iran war

What the report says

Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has become more dangerous and more expensive as conflict in the region disrupts traffic and raises the risk to crews. In an Oct. 8 report, Al Jazeera said vessel crossings fell to their lowest level since July, while tanker captains are reportedly being offered unusually large pay packages to make the trip.

Citing reports from the Financial Times and other outlets, the article said some captains can earn base pay of up to $100,000 plus a $50,000 bonus for each voyage through the strait. Al Jazeera noted that overall crew pay on some ships may be several times normal levels, reflecting the high hazards involved. The report said many of the sailors taking these jobs are coming from India, the Philippines and China.

The article also described the wider shipping picture in the Gulf, including continuing attacks on vessels, intermittent disruptions to oil flows and the use of alternative routes such as Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline and ship-to-ship transfers. It said some ships are taking precautions such as switching off lights and transponders to reduce the chance of detection while crossing. The situation matters because Hormuz remains a critical route for global oil exports, and higher transport costs and security risks can feed into energy prices and supply concerns.