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 implies an abundant need for salvage towing.
Overnight Sunday, UKMTO reported that a tanker was hit by two projectiles at a position about 70 nautical miles to the east of Ras Al Khafji, Saudi Arabia, at the northwest end of the Arabian Gulf. All crew were accounted for, the agency said. Vanguard Tech has identified the vessel as the tanker Largo Atom (IMO 1034747) and said that it was reportedly hit by two UAVs, resulting in complete loss of power. It was at least the fifth energy vessel hit by suspected Iranian strikes since Thursday.
Over the weekend, Pakistani sources confirmed that one of the energy vessels hit late last week was the Al Mayeda (IMO 9397298), a Qatari-owned LNGC with a cargo of gas for customers in Pakistan. The ship had received safe-passage approval from Iranian officials 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.
The Al Mayeda's crew was reportedly safe despite the explosions. 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."
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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), damaged by manually-emplaced limpet mines; and the product tanker Stone (IMO 9380362), intercepted by the IRGC Navy and allowed to reverse course without damage.
