Thai-Owned Bulker Ablaze in the Straits of Hormuz With Three Crew Missing
The Thai-owned bulker Mayuree Naree (30,193 dwt) was set ablaze off the coast of Oman on Wednesday morning, March 11, as one of possibly four commercial ships attacked by Iran. Rescue efforts are underway as Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) released a statement saying ships must request permission before attempting to enter the Straits.
The Royal Oman Navy responded to the Mayuree Naree while the Royal Thai Navy said it was coordinating and monitoring the rescue operations. The vessel reported being struck by two projectiles in the stern and the engine room, which caused explosions and a fire. The ship was traveling with ballast from the United Arab Emirates and was approximately 11 nautical miles off the coast of Oman.
The vessel’s owners, Precious Shipping, reported that the engine room was damaged and that 20 crewmembers had abandoned the ship in a lifeboat. They were rescued by the Omani Navy and taken ashore.
Three crewmembers are reported still aboard the ship, with the vessel’s owner saying that it believed they were trapped in the engine room. The Royal Thai Navy said additional rescue operations were underway, while at least one report said the crewmembers had stayed aboard the vessel to aid with the salvage efforts. UK Maritime Trade Operations later reported that the fires had been extinguished.
The shipping company asserts it was following the protocols and had strict safety measures in place. It said it was in constant contact with the UKMTO before the ship attempted the transit. It reports the ship is covered under War Risk Insurance.
The attack on the Mayuree Naree was the most serious of those reported by UKMTO. The containership One Majesty (79,443 dwt) owned by NYK and operated by Ocean Network Express (ONE) also reported being struck. It was about 25 nautical miles northwest of Ras Al Khaimah in the UAE. Vanguard Tech reports the ship suffered a 10-centimeter hole and was heading to a safe anchorage. The bulker Star Gwyneth (82,790 dwt) was struck by an unknown projectile approximately 50 nautical miles northwest of Dubai.
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The IRGC said the Thai vessel had ignored warnings and attempted to pass through the Straits without permission. Iran had earlier said it would permit international shipping that had no ties to the United States or Israel to transit the Strait. It calls ships from the U.S., Israel, or their allies, or carrying oil cargo from these countries, “legitimate targets.” It is also claiming to have attacked another vessel, the containership Express Rome (122,961 dwt), which it alleges was also attempting to enter the Straits of Hormuz. It associated the vessel with Israel. The ship’s last AIS signal shows it is anchored along with a large grouping of vessels northeast of Dubai.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) issued a warning this morning (March 11) to civilians that the Iranian regime is using civilian ports along the Strait of Hormuz to conduct military operations. It urges civilians in Iran to immediately avoid all port facilities where Iranian naval forces are operating. Iranian dockworkers, administrative personnel, and commercial vessel crews, CENTCOM says, should avoid Iranian naval vessels and military equipment. The U.S. yesterday reported it was increasing its attacks on smaller Iranian vessels capable of laying mines in the Straits of Hormuz.