Quebec City (Rajeev Sharma): A Quebec-based shipping company, Desgagnés, announced on Friday, March 20, 2026, that three Canadian mariners have safely returned home after being stranded aboard vessels in the Persian Gulf for several weeks. The trio, who are trainees from Quebec’s maritime institute (Institut maritime du Québec), were serving on two of the company’s ships as part of their collegiate program when the regional conflict escalated in late February.
The repatriation was made possible through the diplomatic assistance of the Saudi Arabian government, which facilitated the trainees’ travel from the Gulf to Europe and finally back to Canada. While the trainees have been safely evacuated, Desgagnés confirmed that two of its vessels remain stuck in the Persian Gulf. These ships have been unable to exit since February 28 due to Iran’s effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic chokepoint that has seen nearly all international maritime traffic halted as the West Asia conflict enters its fourth week.
Interestingly, the company noted that its vessels are currently flying the flag of Barbados rather than the Canadian flag. This is because the remaining crew members on board are all foreign nationals. Transport Canada has been monitoring the situation and stated that, beyond these two Desgagnés vessels, the department is not currently aware of any other Canadian-owned ships being held or stranded in the volatile Persian Gulf region.
The safe return of the Quebec students comes as a relief to the maritime community, though the ongoing blockade continues to pose a significant threat to global supply chains and energy security. With the Strait of Hormuz remaining a high-risk zone, several international shipping firms have suspended operations in the area, leading to the “floating” crude crisis recently debated by U.S. and Iranian officials.
