The international shipping community is on alert after the dramatic turn the case of the Greek containership “Epaminondas” took. Although initially the information about the seizure was denied, the ship owner company Technomar Shipping Inc. confirmed late last night that the ship is now under the full control of Iranian forces, reversing the initial picture.
The moment of the attack: Masked men and gunfire in the Straits of Hormuz
The takeover operation is reminiscent of a movie. According to video released by the Revolutionary Guards, armed masked soldiers can be seen climbing the sides of the ship, while the adventure had started earlier at 06:50 on Wednesday morning when the Epaminondas came under fire from a manned speedboat while sailing 20 nautical miles off the coast of Oman.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) released footage of its forces boarding and seizing the Greek-owned MSC Epaminondas container ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday.
In the statement released earlier, the IRGC claimed that the vessel was operating “without…
— Status-6 (War & Military News) (@Archer83Able)
The latest information from marine monitoring systems shows the ship moving northwest at a speed of 14.8 knots, heading towards the islet of Larak and the Iranian island of Keshm.
The fate of the crew and the “thriller” of denials
The Technomar company, owned by Giorgos Giouroukos, informed the Ministry of Shipping that 21 crew members (nationals of Ukraine and the Philippines) are on board the 1998 container ship. According to the official information:
- All sailors are in good health.
- No injuries have been reported.
- There is no risk of marine pollution.
The attack caused minor material damage to the ship’s bridge, despite initial alarming reports of a more serious hit.
It is worth noting that for several hours there was confusion, with the Ministry of Shipping and the company initially speaking only of a “security incident”, before finally confirming the seizure that had already been broadcast by the Iranian media.
Geopolitical chess: Trump’s attitude and the ship that “escaped”
The seizure of Epaminondas and MSC Francesca adds new weight to the already tense atmosphere in the Straits of Hormuz. However, Washington’s attitude is sensational. According to American networks, President Donald Trump does not seem to consider the incident a violation of the current ceasefire, a position that raises questions about the next moves of the US.
In the climate of escalation, another ship of Greek interests was luckier. The truck “Ascanio”, which had been delivering food to Iran, managed to cross the Straits late on Wednesday night and is now moving safely towards the Gulf of Oman, avoiding the cordon of Iranian forces.
“Our priority is the safety of the crew and the rapid de-escalation of the situation,” emphasizes Technomar, which remains in constant contact with international authorities for the release of the ship.
