India among regions at highest risk as closure of Strait of Hormuz threatens global marine biodiversity | Today’s news
As the US-Iran conflict continues, the prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz could spark an unprecedented biodiversity crisis, with scientists warning that thousands of stranded ships could spread invasive marine species across the world’s oceans once the vital shipping lane reopens, The Guardian reported.
The strategic waterway has remained largely closed since February 28, reopening only briefly as tensions between the US, Israel and Iran escalated.
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More than 1,500 commercial vessels have been stranded on the key trade route for months. International marine biologists warn that stationary ships have become an ideal surface for the colonization of the hulls of marine organisms.
Microbes, barnacles, algae and other invertebrates have accumulated on the vessels, raising concerns that they could be transported to ports around the world once shipping resumes.
Professor Mario Tamburri of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science described the situation as a worst-case scenario.
“If you had to design a worst-case scenario, I don’t know if you could have done it any other way. It’s a perfect storm,” he said.
According to research led by Tamburri, the situation could become “a potential marine bioinvasion super-expansion event”. The study says no previous disruption to shipping has left so many vessels stranded for so long.
Normally, ships only stay in port for two or three days, leaving little time for marine organisms to settle. However, months of inactivity in the Persian Gulf allowed dense biological communities to grow on ship hulls.
“When you move organisms, they can reduce biodiversity in the areas they invade and cause local extinctions of native species,” Tamburri said.
He added that invasive species can devastate fisheries, clog power plant cooling systems and cost billions of dollars a year to manage.
Can India be affected?
Tamburri warned that ports with environmental conditions similar to those in the Persian Gulf are particularly vulnerable. The warm, salty waters of the Persian Gulf make marine organisms particularly hardy, making it more likely that they could survive and spread elsewhere.
He named India and Singapore among the regions with the highest risk.
The scientist called on governments and shipping companies to clean up vessels before they leave the bay. He also called on ports expecting incoming ships to step up monitoring of invasive species and prepare rapid response plans.
When compared to outbreaks of infectious diseases such as COVID-19 and influenza, Tamburri said early detection and prevention are essential.
“Early detection is really important. Prevention before movement is really important,” he said.
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“People’s safety is a priority, but the cost to the environment cannot be ignored”
A spokesman for the International Maritime Organization (IMO) said biofouling is a major route for the spread of invasive aquatic species.
“There is a risk of species transfer if ships are unable to remove contamination before leaving the area. The IMO recommends that ships adhere to its biofouling guidelines as much as possible,” the spokesman said.
The IMO added that it is developing a legally binding international framework to regulate the control and management of biofouling on ships to limit the spread of invasive species.
Tamburri emphasized that while the protection of human lives during conflicts must remain a top priority, the environmental consequences should not be overlooked.
“Conflicts like this are terrible. There is human suffering, but we cannot ignore the environmental consequences either,” he said.
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