Two Canadian Cargo Ships Stranded in Persian Gulf

Two Canadian cargo ships remain stranded in the Persian Gulf, unable to navigate the blocked Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing conflict involving Iran, which erupted last month.

The vessels, Miena Desgagnés and Rosaire A. Desgagnés, are owned by the Quebec-based shipping company Desgagnés. They were transporting general cargo to ports in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates when hostilities began. According to the company, the ships entered the region prior to the outbreak of fighting on February 28, when attacks by the United States and Israel targeted Iranian sites. Iran's subsequent retaliation, including missile strikes and the deployment of mines, has effectively halted most maritime traffic through the strait, a vital chokepoint linking the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.

The strait handles a significant portion of the world's oil exports, and the disruption has severely impacted global energy supplies, with shipping lanes largely frozen since early March. Desgagnés officials emphasized that the ships, which typically support remote Arctic communities during the summer shipping season and take on international routes in winter, pose no...