Recently, tensions have continued to rise in the Strait of Hormuz, with several ships stranded at sea. 

Due to network and communication signal disruptions in the region, seafarers have been unable to contact their families. Among those stranded in the strait is Liu Yiwen, a sailor from Jilin. Using the ship's public radio frequency, he took the initiative to set up a temporary "family message station". By positioning his phone's speaker toward the radio microphone, Liu relayed messages to the families of his fellow seafarers who had lost communication signals, offering them reassurance. Each message, carried by the radio waves, became a source of warmth and comfort amid the uncertainty.

Severed Communications Leave Families in Anxiety, Jilin Sailor Sets Up "Family Message Station"

Located south of the Strait of Hormuz, the The UAE port of Khor Fakkan lies north of Fujairah, across the water from Iran's southern coastline. Since the outbreak of military conflict in the Middle East and the implementation of targeted control measures in the strait, numerous ships have been stranded in the area.

The merchant vessel on which Liu Yiwen, a sailor from Jilin, was aboard, had originally planned to refuel and resupply at Khor Fakkan Port before proceeding to the Persian Gulf to load liquefied petroleum gas. The ship's VHF public communication radio, a specialized marine device for ship-to-ship and ship-to-port communication, has become crucial during this period of uncertainty. The VHF radio does not rely on mobile signals or satellite networks. As long as the ships are within effective communication range, they can communicate directly via radio—functioning essentially as a "public intercom" at sea.

Liu Yiwen pointed to the location where the ship was docked.

Sailors stranded in the Strait of Hormuz have lost contact with their families due to internet disruptions. Liu Yiwen shared that many seafarers could only use the VHF radio, the "public intercom" of the sea, to communicate about nearby vessels. Since his ship was relatively close to shore, it was equipped with VSAT (satellite communication) and able to receive signals. Although the connection was not very stable, it allowed him to get in touch with his family.

"One stranded sailor asked on the high-frequency radio if anyone had internet access and whether the signal had been blocked. We briefly communicated, and he said he couldn't reach his family and was very anxious," Liu Yiwen recalled. Hearing the distress on the other end of the radio, Liu thought of his own family, who had also been trying to contact him.

"My family had been sending messages to me via WeChat. I realized that his family must be just as worried, so I offered, 'I still have internet on my ship. I can add your wife on WeChat and send a message to your family.'" Ten minutes later, Liu added the sailor's family member on WeChat and sent a voice message to reassure them.

After reaching out to the family of a sailor in Shanghai, Liu Yiwen positioned his phone’s speaker toward the ship’s radio microphone to relay the conversation.

Stranded Sailor: "Wife, it's okay, the internet is down here."

Family Member: "Dapeng, if you can come back, please do. Everyone is waiting for you at home, we're really anxious."

Liu Yiwen explained that each ship is assigned a specific channel to monitor. When sailors speak on their assigned channel, all nearby ships can hear the transmission. If they wish to contact a particular ship directly, they switch to a private channel mode for radio communication.

"He played a voice message from his wife, and I used my phone to relay it through the VHF radio to their ship. Then he recorded his own message, sent it to his wife via his phone, and they were able to hear each other's voices," Liu said. 

Although the method may sound simple, it proved highly effective. Liu Yiwen gradually set up a "family message station" for several stranded seafarers, bridging the ocean to reconnect them with their loved ones.

"Helping Whenever Possible, Hoping to Reunite with Family Soon"

"If there's anything I can do to help while I'm out here, I will. The situation is quite urgent, and the families of the seafarers are very worried, so I can really relate to their concerns," said Liu Yiwen.

Behind each reassuring message lies Liu Yiwen's deep understanding and emotional connection to his profession. After graduating from Wuhan University of Technology in 2018, he plunged into the deep-sea shipping industry. With eight years of experience, he has worked on seven or eight vessels and has traveled around the world several times. For him and all long-distance seafarers, safety is both the starting point and the ultimate goal of their journey, as well as the entire meaning of returning home.

"I truly love this job. I always prioritize safety while on board and hope to return home and reunite with my family as soon as possible. That's my biggest wish," Liu said.