Ships stuck in strait of Hormuz pose ‘super-spreader’ biodiversity threat, scientists warn

The closure of the strait of Hormuz since 28 February, following the US-Israel war on Iran, has stranded over 1,500 commercial vessels. Marine biologists warn this creates an extreme global biodiversity threat, as motionless hulls become encrusted with marine life. These ships may act as reservoirs and vectors for potent invasive species, parasites, and pathogens, potentially spreading them across the world's oceans once the vessels resume sailing, posing an unprecedented risk to marine ecosystems worldwide.