Record pay offered to tanker crews taking Hormuz risks

Tanker crews are being offered huge bonuses to sail through the Strait of Hormuz as the risks at sea continue to grow. Some tanker masters can now earn up to $100,000 a month, plus $50,000 for each transit. Their usual monthly pay is around $15,000. Other crew members can also earn several times their normal wages in the high-risk area. The Maritime Telegraph reports.

Several unusually large pay offers have appeared in recent months. In July, South Korean tanker owner Sinokor Group offered crews six extra months of salary for a round trip from Saudi Arabia or Iraq to the Gulf of Oman. A Shandong-based crewing company has also offered up to $25,000 for a round trip on a VLCC.

The risks remain serious. One first mate told the Wall Street Journal that his vessel made two night transits with its lights off. GPS was also unavailable for several hours, so the crew used radar and coastal landmarks to determine the ship’s position. He said about half of the crew left after one round trip, while the company found replacements after offering extra pay.

Some seafarers are also under pressure to accept these dangerous voyages. Shipowners need crews to keep oil moving through the region, while seafarers face the risk of missile and drone attacks.

The money involved is large because tanker earnings have also reached record levels. VLCC rates for voyages from the Persian Gulf to China rose above $1.2 million per day, compared with about $231,400 before the war.

The danger remains high. Reuters reported at least 12 attacks, attempted attacks and harassment incidents involving oil, LNG and LPG tankers between September 28 and October 5. The IMO has recorded at least 93 vessel attacks and 24 seafarer deaths since the conflict began.

 

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