Possible invasive species superspreader event near Strait of Hormuz

Summary

A possible ecological catastrophe could be fueled by stalled ships as conflict over the Strait of Hormuz continues to block traffic on the passageway, scientists say.The Strait of Hormuz has been a major source of contention since the war with Iran broke out in February. In retaliation to the ongoing conflict, Iran has intermittently caused a decline of tanker traffic through the critical waterway, which connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman for the passage of around 20% of the world's oil supply, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.In this May 6, 2026, file photo, a cargo ship is docked at the Port of Fujairah, in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates.Amr Alfiky/Reuters, FILEBut continued closures at the Strait of Hormuz could trigger a super-spreader event of invasive species as marine organisms attach to the idle vessels and get transported to other ecosystems around the world, according to a paper published Wednesday in the journal Biological Invasions.This is because prolonged stationary periods can lead to substantial biofouling on ships, according to the paper. Buildup can include microorganisms, algae, plants and invertebrates.The biofilm grows on the side of the commercial ships and then gets transported around the world as the vessels travel from port to port, Mario Tamburri, a marine ecologist at the University of Maryland's Center for Environmental Science and lead author of the study, told ABC News.Once invasive species take hold of a foreign ecosystem, it's nearly impossible to get rid of them, Tamburri said."We know that these invading invading organisms can cause millions of dollars' worth of damage and impact -- commercial operations like aquaculture and fisheries -- and change the environment," Tamburri said.The full shipping network consists of 3,027 unique ships, making 248,362 calls to 3,517 unique ports and anchorages. a is the connectivity of global source–destination port pairs for commercial shipping traffic after ship...