Strait of Hormuz Becomes "Battlefield", 60 French Ships Trapped
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Escalating major conflict involving Iran, the United States, and Israel is now paralyzing global trade routes. Approximately 60 commercial vessels flying the French flag are reported trapped in the Gulf region and unable to move due to very high security threats in the Strait of Hormuz.
Laurent Martens, Director General of Armateurs de France, revealed that dozens of vessels are currently being held. This step was taken following direct instructions from military authorities to avoid fatal risks amid the fighting raging across the strategic maritime corridor.
“The vessels have been ordered by the French navy to seek safe shelter,” Laurent Martens told AFP, as reported on Monday (2 March 2026).
Despite being trapped in the conflict zone, Martens explained that the commercial fleet is not the primary target of the warring parties. The current priority is to ensure the safety of all crew members aboard the vessels detained in various ports around the Gulf.
“These ships are not priority targets in the conflict and their crew members are sheltering aboard the ships, in port,” Martens added, explaining the current condition of the sailors.
This dire situation was also confirmed by Armateurs de France Chairman Edouard Louis-Dreyfus. He stressed that access through the Strait of Hormuz, which serves as the lifeblood of global energy transportation, is now impossible for commercial vessels to penetrate.
“Around 60 ships trapped in the Gulf cannot pass through the Strait of Hormuz,” Edouard Louis-Dreyfus said firmly when speaking to France Inter radio.
The Strait of Hormuz, only 50 kilometres wide at its narrowest point, has now become a flashpoint for fighting after Iran’s Revolutionary Guards began contacting vessels to inform them that the passage is closed. Tensions escalated on Sunday after two ships were reported attacked off the coasts of Oman and the United Arab Emirates.
“The detained vessels have been ordered not to move, not to attempt to leave, and other ships have been warned to stay as far away as possible from the area,” Louis-Dreyfus said regarding the emergency instructions issued.
The situation is becoming increasingly alarming because United States military bases that are targets of Iranian missiles are located very close to major ports in Gulf nations. This is causing extraordinary concern for the global shipping industry due to very high risk of collateral damage.
“This situation is a very worrying issue for shipping companies, considering that US bases – which are targets of Iranian missiles – are located in most of these Gulf nations and near ports,” Louis-Dreyfus explained.
As a precautionary measure, Armateurs de France is now working to reduce the number of crew aboard vessels to minimum levels and to repatriate crews where possible. This drastic step is also being followed by global shipping giants such as MSC and Maersk, which have suspended sailings through the Strait of Hormuz and the Suez Canal for security reasons.