- Title: Greek seafarers strike over stranded crews in the Gulf amid Iran war
- Date: 5th March 2026
- Summary: PIRAEUS, GREECE (MARCH 5, 2026) (REUTERS) CONVOY OF MOTORBIKES AND CARS HEADING TO SHIPPING MINISTRY VARIOUS OF SEAFARERS HOLDING BANNERS AND CHANTING OUTSIDE GREEK SHIPPING MINISTRY (SOUNDBITE) (Greek) PRESIDENT OF GREEK UNION OF LOWER ENGINE CREWS "STEPHENSON", ANGELOS GALANOPOULOS, SAYING: "The stranded at this moment, according to information we have, and the ministry,
- Embargoed:
- Keywords: ATHENS HORMUZ IRAN PIRAEUS SEAFARERS SHIPS STRIKE
- Location: PIRAEUS, GREECE
- City: PIRAEUS, GREECE
- Country: Greece
- Topics: Europe,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA001109205032026RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Greek seafarers walked off the job on Thursday (March 5) to protest over stranded vessel crews in the Gulf amid an escalating war in the Middle East, demanding that the entire region be declared a war zone and that their colleagues are repatriated.
They launched a nationwide strike halting most ferry services across the country.
Dozens of protesters rallied outside the shipowners union and joined a motorbike convoy to the Greek Shipping Ministry near the port of Piraeus.
"The demands are for the government to ensure the repatriation of all seafarers, not only the Greeks of course, all seafarers; that no ship should enter the war zones where military clashes are taking place", said Angelos Galanopoulos, head of Greece's lower engine crews' union Stephenson which participated in the 24-hour walkout that halted ferries.
The International Maritime Organization said it is concerned about nearly 20,000 seafarers in the Strait of Hormuz. At least 10 ships have been damaged in strikes since the conflict began on Saturday.
“There are families who are anxious, there are colleagues who do not know whether they will return alive or injured”, said Apostolis Kypraios, head of the marine engineers' union PEMEN.
The Iran conflict has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping artery accounting for about 20% of global oil and gas supply.
(Production: Vania Turner, Iro Pappa) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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