The closure of the Strait of Hormuz at the start of President Donald Trump's war with Iran may lead to a "large-scale, marine bioinvasion 'superspreader' event," according to a new study. More than 1,500 commercial vessels have been stranded in the Gulf since the key waterway closed at the start of the war on February 28. Once the thousands of stranded vessels depart — taking with them algae and other organisms — they may bring invasive species elsewhere. Issues caused by stranded ships have long been documented, and the International Maritime Organization passed a resolution in 2023 to minimize the transfer of invasive aquatic species through biofouling. However, the scientists note in the study that current biofouling management and regulatory frameworks are "insufficient" in mitigating such large-scale, unplanned vessel stoppages.