Scientists Warn of Bioinvasion Thousands of Persian Gulf stuck commercial vessels could create an unprecedented global marine biosecurity threat when they eventually return to international s
Thousands of Persian Gulf stuck commercial vessels could create an unprecedented global marine biosecurity threat when they eventually return to international shipping routes. This is according to new research from a team of 24 marine scientists.
The study, titled Closure of the Strait of Hormuz May Trigger a Bioinvasion Super-Spreader Event, warns that prolonged vessel delays in the Persian and Arabian Gulf may allow large communities of marine organisms to accumulate on ship hulls.
Abstract from the study
The study was led by the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science and involved researchers from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. It was published in the journal Biological Invasions.
Researchers estimate that more than 1,500 commercial ships have stayed anchored or inactive in the region for extended periods after the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The scientists believe the unprecedented number of vessels and the duration of the disruption could create a marine invasive species “super-spreader” event.
When ships stay stationary for weeks or months, organisms like algae, mussels, barnacles and other marine invertebrates can attach themselves to their hulls. This process is known as biofouling, and is already considered one of the main ways invasive marine species spread between countries.
However, the scale of the current vessel layup makes the situation particularly concerning. Once the stuck Persian Gulf commercial vessels resume normal operations, they could carry these organisms to ports and coastal environments across the world.
Carolyn Tepolt, a Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution biologist who contributed to the research, said marine invasive species can have serious ecological and economic consequences. Once an invasive species becomes established in a coastal ecosystem, removing it can be extremely difficult or even impossible.
Invasive organisms may compete with native species, damage fisheries, disrupt marine habitats and create costly maintenance problems for ports, ships and coastal infrastructure.
The researchers are calling for stronger international measures to manage the risks associated with the delayed ships. Recommended actions include improving hull-cleaning and biofouling management, increasing monitoring at high-risk ports and forecasting where vessels are likely to travel after leaving the Gulf.
Port authorities, shipping companies, regulators and environmental agencies may also need to coordinate rapid response plans to identify and contain potentially invasive species before they become established.
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz therefore carries consequences that extend well beyond oil supplies, shipping costs and the global economy. While much of the attention has focused on energy markets and disrupted trade, the prolonged grounding of commercial vessels could also create lasting environmental damage by spreading invasive marine species to coastlines around the world.
