Kuwaiti Tanker Struck in the Strait of Hormuz
A new incident has been confirmed in the Strait of Hormuz, with reports that a tanker was struck after a lull of nearly a week. It comes after Donald Trump rejected overtures from Iran through the mediators, and IRGC leaders continue to assert that they control transits in the Strait.
The IMO lists the latest attack as striking the Kuwaiti tanker Al Funtas (316,648 dwt). The vessel, which was built in 2014 and operates for Kuwait Oil Tankers, was not on the Iranian “non-compliant list” published by the so-called Persian Gulf Strait Authority. The Iranians, however, have threatened Kuwait’s tanker operations and listed several of its vessels.
The tanker was making the transit “dark” and did not directly report the attack to UK Marine Trade Operations or MSCIO. The security services received the information "late" from a third party that the tanker was struck on Monday evening, September 28, while transiting the Strait. A fire resulted, but reports are that it was extinguished and the tanker was again underway. The extent of damage is not known.
The strike came as Iran continues to attempt to assert that it still has total control and randomly targets vessels among the 10 to 20 a day believed to be transiting the Strait. U.S. officials deny Iran controls the Strait, but yesterday’s strike comes after at least four vessels were struck a week ago.
The IMO is now setting the confirmed number of incidents involving vessels in the Persian Gulf area at 86. It says the confirmed death toll is 24 fatalities, although additional reports continue to come in. The Indian media is now confirming the death of two seafarers last week on the tanker El Gaia (IMO still lists them as missing), while the IMO also reports another death aboard the Cape Dao on September 23.
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Iran yesterday claimed it had turned back a total of 19 tankers on Friday and Saturday, saying that control of the region was split between its Army Navy and the IRGC Navy. The U.S. asserted it has sunk Iran’s Navy, but it has not been able to stop all the drone and missile attacks.
The PGSA continues to increase its list of non-compliant vessels and added threats to charterers that send vessels through the Strait after earlier in the month warning insurance companies, P&I clubs, and classification societies “to refrain from providing services” to vessels on Iran’s non-compliant list. It warns of “consequences arising” from dealing with those tankers, but the vessels appear to continue on their trade.
