Pakistan Seeks Singapore Help to Repatriate Seafarers From US-Seized Vessels

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said he has asked Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan for support in efforts to repatriate Pakistani and Iranian seafarers aboard vessels seized by U.S. forces. The vessels are currently nearing Singaporean waters.

Dar posted the details on X on May 8, 2026. Dar said there were 11 Pakistani and 20 Iranian seafarers on the vessels. Pakistan stands ready to facilitate the safe repatriation of Iranian nationals to Iran via Pakistan, Dar stated. The request to Singapore comes amid ongoing regional tensions following U.S. and Israeli military actions against Iran.

Those actions included strikes that led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz for a period. Several shipping companies have reported disruptions to their operations in the area.

Lines said three of its vessels that transited the Strait of Hormuz and exited the Gulf in April did not pay any transit fees. Tehran had proposed fees on vessels passing through the strait as part of proposals to end the conflict. The company does not intend to pay such fees in the future, a spokesperson told Reuters.

The spokesperson credited efforts of relevant countries and stakeholders for the safe passage. Mitsui OSK Lines said it would continue to prioritise the safety of its crew, vessels and cargo. Two Indian-flagged liquefied petroleum gas carriers owned by an affiliated company have also crossed the strait since then.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most strategically vital maritime routes. About a fifth of global seaborne crude oil and liquefied natural gas flows pass through it in normal times.

Ceasefire Status U.S.

President Donald Trump said the ceasefire with Iran remains in effect despite American and Iranian forces trading fire in the Strait of Hormuz the previous night. Trump stated that Iran should sign an agreement quickly. Neither side has announced the collapse of the ceasefire.

The spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry said Iran is still reviewing the U.S. proposal. Iranian officials have described several U.S. demands as unreasonable. A large gap remains between the positions of the two parties, according to Iranian officials.

Diplomatic and mediation efforts continue despite the recent military confrontations. Reports that Iran’s response was expected to be sent to Pakistani mediators on May 7 have not been confirmed.

Services reported a 24 percent fall in core profit for the first quarter of 2026. The UAE-based company had to evacuate four vessels from a GCC country in March as a precautionary measure due to the conflict. Its core profit fell to $19.5 million from $25.6 million a year earlier.

The evacuation halted operations in that country and no revenue from those vessels was registered in March. Crews returned to all evacuated vessels in early April. Clients rejoined operations on two of them days later, and the company maintained its full-year 2026 profit forecast.