The crews of ships from the Quebecois maritime carrier Desgagnés are still anchored in the Persian Gulf, at the heart of the crisis unfolding in Iran, but the sailors are in “relative safety” and the strategy to deal with the instability is being analyzed continuously, assures the shipowner, whose headquarters are in Quebec.
In total, about thirty sailors are still trapped on one of the Desgagnés group’s ships near the Strait of Hormuz, where navigation has been halted for almost three weeks following the American and Israeli attacks that resulted in the death of the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and then the Iranian retaliation.
Of these, three sailors are students from the Quebec Maritime Institute (IMQ), cadets on a sea internship and considered “part of the family,” says Serge Le Guellec, senior advisor to the president of the Desgagnés group.
“These are difficult situations. The crew sticks together. […] We have to think in terms of a family on board the ship,” stated Le Guellec in an interview with “Première Heure.”
“It is always necessary to be cautious. Port facilities tend to be near energy and transportation nerve centers that could be targeted. So, under the circumstances […] being on a ship far from the coast is preferable. It’s definitely a relative security,” Le Guellec said.
For now, it is preferable for the sailors to remain on board a ship, as stated by Le Guellec.
Adapting the strategy
Le Guellec is aware that the situation is fluid and can deteriorate quickly, hence the need to adjust the strategy continually to remain vigilant about what is happening.
The possibility that Iran might target ships near the Strait of Hormuz is not off the table, Le Guellec stated. “That’s why it is important to carefully choose the [anchorage] zones,” he emphasized, clarifying that his sailors are anchored on the western side of the Persian Gulf, “a little further from the action, in my opinion.”
The shipping company has no choice but to consider the conflict’s extension. “We thought the conflict would be resolved quickly. […] We are forced to acknowledge, at the third week, that this scenario doesn’t match reality. It’s not at all like that. And we see very well that it is very difficult to agree internationally on what needs to be done to be able to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within a reasonable timeframe. And for the sailors, this translates into additional delays,” Le Guellec admitted.
Evacuating the crew is not a viable or feasible scenario at this stage, Le Guellec mentioned. “It is possible that in the long run, we may be more in a logic of evaluating crew rotation potentials, but again, should we do this in a context where, around the anchorage point, there is a port available, there are airports available with open airspaces, you see the complexity,” Le Guellec explained.
The morale of the troops
Faced with the possibility of a prolonged situation, the sailors are resilient, assured the senior advisor of the shipowner, acknowledging that the context is far from ordinary.
“They are used to navigating all the world’s seas. They have seen it all. But we also understand that what they are currently experiencing is still extraordinary,” Le Guellec said.
Satellite communication has been compromised at times since the conflict escalated, but the situation has been of short duration, according to Le Guellec. “People are able to communicate with their family, with their friends,” he emphasized. In such circumstances, this is crucial, the senior advisor stated.
[Context: The article discusses the challenges faced by the crews of Desgagnés ships in the Persian Gulf amid the crisis in Iran. The ships are trapped near the Strait of Hormuz due to recent conflicts.] [Fact Check: The content accurately reflects the statements and situation described in the original article.]
