Commentary: After US-Iran deal, stranded oil tankers still put marine life, water security at risk

[Editor's Note: Follow Khaleej Times' live blog for the latest regional developments with the US-Israel-Iran ceasefire now in effect.]

The author is president of UAE Safety and Emergency Security Association and professor of sustainable development at the American University of Sharjah. He is former UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment and former Minister of Infrastructure. He authored two books on climate change that influenced academic and international reforms.

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With the recent de‑escalation in the Strait of Hormuz and the gradual resumption of maritime traffic following the peace agreement, global attention has understandably shifted toward diplomacy, reopening trade routes, and stabilizing energy markets. Yet beneath this welcome calm lies a quieter story — one that did not end with the signing of the interim ceasefire.

The environmental footprint left by weeks of vessel detentions and maritime congestion remains imprinted on the Gulf’s fragile ecosystem, forming a silent legacy of the crisis that unfolded.

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During the height of the standoff, more than 85 oil tankers were stranded in the Gulf, some for more than 10 days. These vessels, each weighing hundreds of thousands of tons, consumed 20–40 tons of fuel per day simply to maintain onboard systems — even while stationary. This daily consumption released 3–5 tons of sulfur dioxide (SO₂), 4–7 tons of nitrogen oxides (NOx), and over 100 tons of carbon dioxide (CO₂) into the atmosphere. Hazardous particulates such as PM2.5 and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) also accumulated, posing long‑term risks to human health and marine life.

In a semi‑enclosed basin like the Arabian Gulf, where water renewal is limited, these emissions did not disperse easily. Instead, they settled over the sea and dissolved into its waters, contributing to acidification, oxygen depletion, harmful algal blooms, and a measurable decline in the health of coral reefs — among the region’s most sensitive ecosystems.

Nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide also contributed to acid rain, accelerating coastal erosion and affecting soil and water quality long after the ships departed.

The environmental impact extended beyond chemical pollution. Stationary vessels generated continuous low‑frequency noise — reaching up to 180 decibels underwater, equivalent to a jet engine. This persistent acoustic disturbance disrupted dolphins that rely on echolocation, stressed dugongs, and altered the migratory behavior of humpback whales. Fish populations were similarly affected, as constant vibrations interfered with reproductive cycles and feeding patterns, threatening stocks that coastal communities depend on.

Small leaks added another layer of silent harm. Ships anchored for extended periods released 2–6 liters per day of fine oils, lubricants, and contaminated ballast water. Though seemingly minor, these leaks spread into thin surface films that blocked oxygen exchange, smothered coral reefs, killed fish larvae, and harmed seabirds. Compounds such as benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX) accumulated in marine organisms, moving up the food chain to humans.

Environmental price

Even now, after the crisis has eased, the Gulf continues to grapple with the chronic layer of micro‑pollution left behind. Ballast water discharges may have introduced non‑native microorganisms, increasing the risk of invasive species that compete with native marine life and disrupt ecological balance.

The impact also reached the coastlines of Gulf states, which rely on desalination for more than 60 per cent of their drinking water. Elevated pollution levels clogged intake filters, increased operational costs, and raised the risk of contamination in treated water.

Small oil patches reached the shores of the UAE, Oman, and Bahrain, affecting tourism and placing additional pressure on fisheries already strained by declining oxygen levels. Environmental assessments suggest that elevated concentrations of particulates and oil residues could reduce fishery productivity by 10–20% during prolonged maritime congestion.

Despite the seriousness of these impacts, they received limited media attention. Environmental degradation unfolds slowly, without dramatic images or breaking headlines. Its consequences appear weeks or months later — in declining shrimp stocks, polluted beaches, stressed desalination plants, or weakened coral reefs. It is a crisis without spectacle, yet one that leaves a profound and lasting imprint.

International environmental agenda

Today, even as diplomacy restores stability, the Arabian Gulf continues to pay the environmental price of the crisis. Without sustained monitoring and coordinated regional action, the legacy of detained vessels could translate into long‑term biodiversity loss, recurring coastal pollution, and economic strain on fisheries and tourism.

This makes it essential to elevate the issue of pollution from detained and congested vessels onto the international environmental agenda, especially as the world prepares for COP17 in Armenia. The crisis demonstrated that maritime security is inseparable from environmental, water, and food security — and that protecting vital waterways requires global cooperation.

For many countries and environmental organizations, integrating this issue into the COP17 agenda would strengthen global efforts to reduce emissions from the shipping sector, enhance environmental monitoring, and establish joint protocols for managing vessel detention and maritime congestion.

Protecting the Gulf — and other strategic waterways — is not merely a regional responsibility but a shared global duty to safeguard oceans and ensure the sustainability of natural resources for future generations.