Commercial tanker abandoned after projectile strike in Strait of Hormuz as shipping attacks intensify
ES Mag:
Lahore:
A commercial oil tanker was abandoned by its crew after being struck by an unidentified projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, British maritime authorities said on Monday, marking the latest in a series of attacks threatening one of the world’s busiest energy shipping routes.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said the incident occurred at about 20:10 UTC on July 20, approximately 8 nautical miles northeast of Limah, Oman.
According to UKMTO, the vessel’s company security officer reported that all crew members safely evacuated into a lifeboat following the strike. Authorities are investigating the incident, and no pollution has been reported.
The attack came a day after another vessel sailing about 17 nautical miles east of Dibba, United Arab Emirates, suffered damage to its steering gear after being hit by an unidentified projectile. All crew members were reported safe.
The vessel was identified as the VLCC Acheloos, operated by Greek shipping company Dynacom Tankers, making it the second vessel managed by the company to be targeted within 24 hours.
Earlier, Dynacom’s product tanker Kavomaleas was also struck while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, triggering a fire that forced the crew to abandon the ship.
Security concerns mount
The latest attack means at least three commercial vessels have been struck in or around the Strait of Hormuz within the past 48 hours, raising fresh concerns over the security of a vital global energy corridor.
The incidents come as the United States continues military operations against Iranian military infrastructure across the region.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said its latest strikes targeted Iranian command-and-control facilities, maritime assets, missile and drone launch sites, and air defence systems in an effort to reduce Tehran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
Despite the escalating conflict, CENTCOM said commercial traffic continues through the waterway, with US forces having facilitated the safe transit of around 900 vessels since early May.
Shipping traffic drops sharply
Maritime industry data indicates that shipping activity through the Strait of Hormuz has fallen dramatically since fighting between the United States and Iran intensified.
According to Clarksons Research, vessel transits through the strait have declined to roughly 12 per day over the past five days, representing a nearly 90% drop from pre-conflict levels.
Crude oil exports have also fallen sharply, averaging around 1.5 million barrels per day compared with approximately 10 million barrels per day in early July.
Clarksons Research also reported that no mainstream very large gas carriers (VLGCs) have departed the Gulf in the past 10 days, while no fully laden Qatari LNG carriers have passed through the Strait of Hormuz for almost two weeks.
About Author
