Offshore Tug Hit in Latest Attack in Strait of Hormuz
On Sunday evening, an Emirati-owned offshore tug was hit by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, somewhere northwest of the Musandam Peninsula. Security consultancy Vanguard Tech has identified the vessel as the UAE-owned Selat Storm, an older offshore tug / supply ship of about 1,300 dwt.
The incident occurred just after 1500 hours UTC, according to UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO). AIS data shows that the tug had just departed Al Hamriyah, UAE, where it had been at berth for weeks.
The master of a passing vessel received the ship's radio mayday call and relayed it to the authorities. The Selat Storm was reported to be "partially sinking," Vanguard Tech said.
The status of the vessel's crew was not reported. It was the second likely Iranian attack on a tug in the Strait of Hormuz since October 18, when a projectile hit the Dutch-flagged tug JIF Barracuda - illustrating the hazards of the narrow waterway for vessels of all classes. The two tugs' activities at the time of the strikes have not been reported, but the high count of disabled and damaged tankers in the strait - at least four since last Thursday alone - implies an abundant need for salvage towing.
In addition, Iranian forces appear to have hit an LNG carrier associated with a friendly state. Pakistani sources and security consultancies confirm that one of the energy vessels hit Friday was the Al Mayeda (IMO 9397298), a Qatari-owned LNGC carrying a cargo of gas for utilities in Pakistan. The ship had received safe-passage approval from Iran's "regulators" for the crossing just hours before the attack, multiple sources close to the shipment confirmed to Bloomberg; nonetheless, its accommodations block was hit by an unknown projectile at about 1800 hours UTC.
The Al Mayeda's crew was reportedly safe despite the blast and subsequent fire. The ship's AIS signal disappeared from tracking about two hours after the reported attack time, and it has not resurfaced - but security sources report that the vessel was able to turn back and depart the area. Operator Nakilat said in a stock exchange filing that the ship is in "safe condition, operational."
The strike occurred about 40 nautical miles to the south of Iranian-held Laval Island, not far from the massive complex of loading piers at Ras Laffan, Qatar, where the voyage originated. It is the latest sign that Iran is expanding the reach of its strike campaign further out from the Strait of Hormuz, into areas less well-defended by American forces.
In a statement after the attack, GCC Secretary General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi said that targeting energy tankers is a "dangerous escalation that undermines the security of the region" and called for "holding the perpetrators of this heinous attack accountable."
According to the list kept by Martin Kelly of EOS Risk Group, the other vessels hit Thursday and Friday included the VLCC Arnazah (IMO 9928023); the Suezmax Riti (IMO 9249075); the Suezmax Louise 1 (IMO 9290323), in a manually-emplaced limpet mine attack; and the product tanker Stone (IMO 9380362), intercepted by the IRGC Navy and allowed to reverse course without damage.
that matters most
Get the latest maritime news delivered to your inbox daily.
