More than 1,500 large commercial vessels stranded in the Strait of Hormuz following its closure on 28 February could trigger a global wave of biological invasions, according to a new study published in the journal Biological Invasions.

Prolonged stationary periods during peak spring and summer reproductive seasons have allowed extensive biofouling—consisting of marine microorganisms, algae, and invertebrates—to develop rapidly on the hulls of these ships.

Professor Mario Tamburri of the University of Maryland, the study’s lead author, told Anadolu Agency that the situation represents a “worst-case scenario”. When these vessels finally resume their voyages, they risk functioning as “super-spreaders” of invasive species to international ports, threatening both local marine ecosystems and global economic activities.