1,500 ships have been stationary in the Strait of Hormuz for six months. When they set sail, they will spread a plague across the planet

More than 1,500 cargo ships have been left idle for months around the closed Strait of Hormuz.

Researchers warn that the hulls of these vessels may be carrying biofouling organisms that could spread worldwide when ships resume sailing.

Ports identified as especially at risk include Jeddah, Mumbai, Colombo, Singapore, Alexandria, Piraeus, Algeciras, and Rotterdam.

The study urges cleaning, monitoring, and routing alerts to reduce the chance of invasive species, pathogens, and parasites spreading through global shipping networks.