The head of Iran’s Merchant Marine Union, Saman Rezaei, told Al Jazeera that even after the current crisis ends, maritime transport through the Strait of Hormuz will never return to its pre-war state. Rezaei, who also serves as secretary general of the Iranian Merchant Mariners Syndicate under the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), said the conflict has shattered the long-standing order and structure that once made the strait a safe haven for commercial shipping.

According to Rezaei, the global shipping industry views the return to normal operations in the strait as a long and uncertain process. He noted that recovery depends on sustainable peace, visible reduction of threats, and several successful accident-free voyages. The ITF has indicated that clearing vessel congestion and rotating crews could take several weeks, possibly months.

Rezaei added that many key port, transport, trade, and oil facilities along both shores of the Persian Gulf were damaged during the war, requiring significant time and financial resources for repair and reconstruction.