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Second Dynacom-Owned Tanker Reportedly Hit in Strait of Hormuz

Iranian state media released a video of a tanker in ballast, smoke pouring from its stern (Iranian state media)
Iranian state media released a video of a damaged tanker in ballast, smoke pouring from its stern (Iranian state media)

Published Jul 20, 2026 5:14 PM by The Maritime Executive

On Monday, the Royal Navy's UK Maritime Trade Operations office (UKMTO) confirmed the Iranian attack on a tanker north of the Musandam Peninsula and said that the vessel is now abandoned and adrift. Maritime security company Marisks reports that a second tanker, the Dynacom-managed VLCC Acheloos, was hit at about the same time.

In the early hours of Monday morning, the tanker - identified by the press and the operator as the Dynacom-owned product tanker Kavomaleas - was struck by an unknown projectile at a position near Kumzar, Oman. The situation on board was serious enough to prompt the crew to abandon ship, and they were safely rescued by a tug boat, UKMTO said. 

In a statement, Dynacom added that the vessel was hit twice and sustained a fire in the engine room, which could not be put out with the fixed firefighting system. As of Monday evening the ship continued to burn, and it remained adrift in the strait, UKMTO warned. For now there is no sign of environmental impact; UKMTO cautioned shipping to transit the area carefully. An investigation into the details of the attack is under way. 

NASA's FIRMS fire detection system showed two hotspots in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, including one that approximately matches the reported position of the Kavomaleas. The second is located to the north, near the center of the strait. FIRMS is an infrared remote sensing system, and is triggered by many kinds of heat sources, including normal operational signatures like gas flaring.

Both Kavomaleas and Acheloos are owned by Dynacom, one of the most daring operators involved in the delicate trade through the Strait of Hormuz. Since the earliest days of the conflict, Dynacom has been quietly linked to transits through the waterway, consistent with its reputation for bold commercial decisions.