The escalation of conflict in West Asia has left numerous merchant ships stranded upstream of the Strait of Hormuz. International insurance companies are now seeking to renegotiate war risk coverage, with premiums surging to 1% to 3% of the total vessel cost. For a standard vessel, this means paying a weekly premium equivalent to what was previously paid for an entire year. While the U.S. government has promised to deploy naval escorts and fund war risk insurance, the maritime community remains in a state of high alert following the ninth ship attack in the region involving the crude carrier Sonangal Namibe.