{"id":3590,"date":"2026-07-26T08:54:25","date_gmt":"2026-07-26T08:54:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.cedritech.com\/?p=3590"},"modified":"2026-07-26T08:54:25","modified_gmt":"2026-07-26T08:54:25","slug":"superspreader-event-of-invasive-species-originating-near-strait-of-hormuz-possible","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.cedritech.com\/?p=3590","title":{"rendered":"Superspreader event of invasive species originating near Strait of Hormuz possible"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">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.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">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&#8217;s oil supply, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"rounded-lg\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/lo\/mysterio\/api\/5e4e02608b6ee7863395aff4ff688ea90474052e9e357e8568cdc9ba1ed1ec2f\/lightyear_networkapi\/resizefill_w960;quality_80;format_webp\/https:%2F%2Fmedia.zenfs.com%2Fen%2Fus.abcnews.go.com%2Fccf665f318b0301cee7a6457f71e2308\" alt=\"Amr Alfiky\/Reuters, FILE - PHOTO: In this May 6, 2026, file photo, a cargo ship is docked at the Port of Fujairah, in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates.\" width=\"960\" height=\"640\" data-nimg=\"1\" \/><button class=\"group absolute bottom-0 size-full\" aria-label=\"View larger image\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\" data-rapid_p=\"6\" data-y-link-id=\"0ntvvmf1dhtuf618vpur\"><\/button><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<div>\n<p>Amr Alfiky\/Reuters, FILE &#8211; PHOTO: In this May 6, 2026, file photo, a cargo ship is docked at the Port of Fujairah, in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">But 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\u00a0Biological Invasions.<\/p>\n<div class=\"max-md:faux-bleed mb-4 bg-accent\/2 pb-5 md:invisible md:mb-0 md:h-0 md:overflow-hidden md:pb-0\">\n<div class=\"py-2 text-center text-xs uppercase\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-nowrap justify-center\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">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.<\/p>\n<div class=\"mb-4\"><\/div>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Shipping traffic falls sharply in Strait of Hormuz as Iran war escalates<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">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&#8217;s Center for Environmental Science and lead author of the study, told ABC News.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Once invasive species take hold of a foreign ecosystem, it&#8217;s nearly impossible to get rid of them, Tamburri said.<\/p>\n<div class=\"max-md:faux-bleed mb-4 bg-accent\/2 pb-5 md:invisible md:mb-0 md:h-0 md:overflow-hidden md:pb-0\">\n<div class=\"py-2 text-center text-xs uppercase\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-nowrap justify-center\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;We know that these invading invading organisms can cause millions of dollars&#8217; worth of damage and impact &#8212; commercial operations like aquaculture and fisheries &#8212; and change the environment,&#8221; Tamburri said.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"rounded-lg\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/lo\/mysterio\/api\/69d8b0868b997572dbff9808a6bc615b7de7a3f2aedaa48609c2a1ac6f7269ec\/lightyear_networkapi\/resizefill_w960;quality_80;format_webp\/https:%2F%2Fmedia.zenfs.com%2Fen%2Fus.abcnews.go.com%2F8a2b6ebf2709837512aabb0d0ee46d71\" alt=\"as presented in Tamburri et al., Biological Invasions 28, 177 (2026). - PHOTO: The full shipping network consists of 3,027 unique ships, making 248,362 calls to 3,517 unique ports and anchorages.\" width=\"960\" height=\"908\" data-nimg=\"1\" \/><button class=\"group absolute bottom-0 size-full\" aria-label=\"View larger image\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\" data-rapid_p=\"9\" data-y-link-id=\"0liud7e030ibin0tz8td\" data-v9y=\"1\"><\/button><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<div>\n<p>as presented in Tamburri et al., Biological Invasions 28, 177 (2026). &#8211; PHOTO: The full shipping network consists of 3,027 unique ships, making 248,362 calls to 3,517 unique ports and anchorages.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">One example is the zebra mussels in the Great Lakes, Tamburri said. Native to the\u00a0Caspian and Black Seas south of Russia and Ukraine, zebra mussels quickly spread in the Great Lakes in the 1980s and are now present in the Mississippi and St. Croix Rivers, according to the\u00a0National Park Service. They have also now spread to the West Coast due to human transport.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">There is little to be done to remove zebra mussels once they have become established in a body of water, according to the NPS. Ecologists have been &#8220;battling&#8221; with the invasive species for 50 years, Tamburri said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Tensions over Yemen chokepoint threaten to ignite another theater of US-Iran war<\/p>\n<div class=\"max-md:faux-bleed mb-4 bg-accent\/2 pb-5 md:invisible md:mb-0 md:h-0 md:overflow-hidden md:pb-0\">\n<div class=\"py-2 text-center text-xs uppercase\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-nowrap justify-center\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Ships are typically coated with an &#8220;anti-fouling&#8221; paint, formulated with chemicals to prevent marine animals from adhering to or growing on them, Tamburri said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">But when ships sit around for a long time, the coatings no longer work well, allowing for the possibility of &#8220;extensive growth.&#8221; During the COVID-19 pandemic, many ships around the world were stalled for long periods of time, allowing for that kind of growth, Tamburri added.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"rounded-lg\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/lo\/mysterio\/api\/4a489bb4acd105db14c9cab1bde4695a96e924ef1bd59b856b6f77ac27fef1a6\/lightyear_networkapi\/resizefill_w960;quality_80;format_webp\/https:%2F%2Fmedia.zenfs.com%2Fen%2Fus.abcnews.go.com%2F53a1e603f61eac0c639ccb180f53664d\" alt=\"Mohammed Aty\/Reuters, FILE - PHOTO: In this April 24, 2026, file photo, an oil tanker HELGA berthed at one of Iraq's southern offshore oil terminals near Basra as it prepares to load crude oil, becoming the second vessel to arrive since the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" data-nimg=\"1\" \/><button class=\"group absolute bottom-0 size-full\" aria-label=\"View larger image\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\" data-rapid_p=\"12\" data-y-link-id=\"01sg0eg1be1dzb0lmbmo\" data-v9y=\"1\"><\/button><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 line-clamp-2 pr-2.5\">\n<div>\n<p>Mohammed Aty\/Reuters, FILE &#8211; PHOTO: In this April 24, 2026, file photo, an oil tanker HELGA berthed at one of Iraq&#8217;s southern offshore oil terminals near Basra as it prepares to load crude oil, becoming the second vessel to arrive since the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Currently, the Strait of Hormuz is experiencing severe disruptions. Last week, the the U.S. resumed its\u00a0naval blockade\u00a0on the strait after Iran fired upon oil tankers in it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">More than 1,500 ships remain idle in the \u00a0Persian\u00a0Gulf and hundreds more are\u00a0anchored\u00a0in the Gulf of\u00a0Oman, according to the paper.<\/p>\n<div class=\"max-md:faux-bleed mb-4 bg-accent\/2 pb-5 md:invisible md:mb-0 md:h-0 md:overflow-hidden md:pb-0\">\n<div class=\"py-2 text-center text-xs uppercase\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-nowrap justify-center\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The types of organisms that live in the region&#8217;s unique ecological system also exacerbate the risk of a superspreader event, Tamburri said.<\/p>\n<div class=\"mb-4\">\n<div id=\"recirc-823be1ee-c008-37ff-929b-771fc9f72c1d\" class=\"mb-4\">\n<div class=\"mb-3.5 flex items-center gap-2\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"grid gap-4 lg:grid-cols-2 lg:grid-rows-[auto_auto_1fr]\">\n<div class=\"relative w-full\">\n<div id=\"_r_3n_\" class=\"absolute inset-0 rounded-[4px] focus-within:ring-2 focus-within:ring-link trc_related_container tbl-trecs-container trc_spotlight_widget trc_elastic trc_elastic_stream-i-v3\" data-placement-name=\"taboola-article-center\">\n<div class=\"trc_rbox_container\">\n<div>\n<div id=\"trc_wrapper_9909347684\" class=\"trc_rbox stream-i-v3 trc-content-sponsored\">\n<div class=\"trc_clearer\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Could a global economy dependent on renewable energy see less war? Experts explain<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The marine organisms that live within the Strait of Hormuz are especially &#8220;hardy&#8221; and &#8220;robust&#8221; because they have adapted to high salinity and warm temperatures, which increases the likelihood that they can spread and survive in other environments, Tamburri said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;If you can survive high temperatures, high salinities, you can probably survive long ship voyages,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"rounded-lg\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/lo\/mysterio\/api\/84746e943eb30f653b72e778f352a2a54234e289769ee6cf0eca8654ae484a34\/lightyear_networkapi\/resizefill_w960;quality_80;format_webp\/https:%2F%2Fmedia.zenfs.com%2Fen%2Fus.abcnews.go.com%2F8ce873969a01d223690549e660d13be1\" alt=\"STOCK PHOTO\/Getty Images - PHOTO: In this undated file photo, a dolphin swims near Qeshm Island, Strait of Hormuz, Iran.\" width=\"960\" height=\"626\" data-nimg=\"1\" \/><button class=\"group absolute bottom-0 size-full\" aria-label=\"View larger image\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\" data-rapid_p=\"16\" data-y-link-id=\"0tbiwtt1ledll41v39gt\" data-v9y=\"1\"><\/button><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<div>\n<p>STOCK PHOTO\/Getty Images &#8211; PHOTO: In this undated file photo, a dolphin swims near Qeshm Island, Strait of Hormuz, Iran.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">What&#8217;s currently happening in the Strait of Hormuz &#8212; and the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman by extension &#8212; is &#8220;probably a worst-case scenario,&#8221; Tamburri said, especially since the already-warm waters in the region are heating up even more during the summer months.<\/p>\n<div class=\"max-md:faux-bleed mb-4 bg-accent\/2 pb-5 md:invisible md:mb-0 md:h-0 md:overflow-hidden md:pb-0\">\n<div class=\"py-2 text-center text-xs uppercase\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-nowrap justify-center\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The combination of extensive biofouling growth, species accumulation and the sheer number, size and global reach of affected vessels has created an immense international biosecurity threat, according to the paper.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;All these marine organisms, invertebrates like barnacles and mussels and algae &#8212; they start growing and reproducing,&#8221; he said. &#8220;They start growing and reproducing, and they&#8217;re sitting in this warm soup of nutrient-rich water.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Iran live updates: US struck site near Iraq-Iran border crossing, US official says<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The ships, which are essentially stranded in clusters, then become vessels for the biofoul to spread around the world once they leave the global shipping hub.<\/p>\n<div class=\"max-md:faux-bleed mb-4 bg-accent\/2 pb-5 md:invisible md:mb-0 md:h-0 md:overflow-hidden md:pb-0\">\n<div class=\"py-2 text-center text-xs uppercase\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-nowrap justify-center\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">In addition, stressed ecosystems, such as industrial ports, are highly vulnerable to bioinvasion because disturbances allow for fast-growing opportunistic species to establish themselves, the paper states.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"rounded-lg\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/lo\/mysterio\/api\/1733211717795054ae7610adc52881c3ab4dea396b0a8e1adf69c61aaf53fa9e\/lightyear_networkapi\/resizefill_w960;quality_80;format_webp\/https:%2F%2Fmedia.zenfs.com%2Fen%2Fus.abcnews.go.com%2F2f538ed916e7c2be06ca87f725ded863\" alt=\"Amirhossein Khorgooei\/ISNAvia AFP via Getty Images, FILE - PHOTO: In this picture obtained from Iran's ISNA news agency on June 18, 2026, vessels are seen anchored in Bandar Abbas along the Strait of Hormuz.\" width=\"960\" height=\"640\" data-nimg=\"1\" \/><button class=\"group absolute bottom-0 size-full\" aria-label=\"View larger image\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\" data-rapid_p=\"18\" data-y-link-id=\"0qq57jq0pu7hmd0hs1hw\" data-v9y=\"1\"><\/button><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 line-clamp-2 pr-2.5\">\n<div>\n<p>Amirhossein Khorgooei\/ISNAvia AFP via Getty Images, FILE &#8211; PHOTO: In this picture obtained from Iran&#8217;s ISNA news agency on June 18, 2026, vessels are seen anchored in Bandar Abbas along the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">It usually takes extreme, costly measures to even attempt to eradicate invasive marine species, so the key is prevention and early detection, Tamburri said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Many shipping ports have in-water cleaning services, in which divers scrape off the biofoul to remove the material. Ecologists recommend taking it a step further, and having the divers use a vacuum-like device as well to avoid putting the live organisms back into the water, only to attach to another ship.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;If at all possible, ships really need to try to clean their hulls before they leave,&#8221; Tamburri said.<\/p>\n<div class=\"max-md:faux-bleed mb-4 bg-accent\/2 pb-5 md:invisible md:mb-0 md:h-0 md:overflow-hidden md:pb-0\">\n<div class=\"py-2 text-center text-xs uppercase\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-nowrap justify-center\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">In the future, more regulations may be established to turn away ships that are too heavily fouled, Tamburri said. Currently, all vessels entering\u00a0New Zealand waters\u00a0are required to have a clean hull to reduce the risk of biofouling pests. The\u00a0International Maritime Organization\u00a0is also pushing to strengthen biofouling regulations.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A possible ecological catastrophe could be fueled by stalled ships as conflict over the Strait of Hormuz continues<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":3591,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3590","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-science"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.cedritech.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3590","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.cedritech.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.cedritech.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.cedritech.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.cedritech.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3590"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blog.cedritech.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3590\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3592,"href":"https:\/\/blog.cedritech.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3590\/revisions\/3592"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.cedritech.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3591"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.cedritech.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3590"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.cedritech.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3590"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.cedritech.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3590"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}