A ship was hit by an unidentified projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, just hours after several cargo ships abandoned crossing the strategic route, in developments that could compromise what had been a rapid reopening of the energy bottleneck.
The unidentified cargo ship was struck in the side and suffered bridge damage while sailing southeast of Oman, UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said. The UKMTO, which provides a link between merchant shipping and military forces, advised vessels to “transit with caution”.
Oil prices began to rise after the incident, and Brent reached session highs, above US$75 per barrel, after the Wall Street Journal reported that Iran’s Revolutionary Guard attacked a Singapore-flagged cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday.
A White House official, however, said it was too early to say who hit the ship. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, said the US is investigating who was responsible for the attack, including whether the action came from the top leadership of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard or whether it was an isolated decision by lower-ranking members. According to this official, there were no deaths or environmental damage, and the ship was able to continue its journey.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
If it turns out that Iran was behind the episode, classified by the UKMTO as an attack, this will affect the already fragile confidence of shipowners and crews that it is possible to navigate the oil corridor safely again. Tehran has repeatedly said ships cannot cross Hormuz without its authorization, and some oil tankers turned around early after reports of warnings from the Iranian Navy not to cross the passage.
On Thursday, Iran’s Persian Gulf Straits Authority said any transit carried out outside its structure would not be covered by insurance or protected by “guarantees of safe passage.”
Vessels had been leaving Hormuz at a rapid pace since an interim peace deal between the US and Iran came into effect last week, quickly adding millions of barrels to supply. Gulf energy producers began to ramp up production as flows through Hormuz appeared to be sustained.
Following Thursday’s attack, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), a global shipping regulatory body linked to the UN, said it was suspending its evacuation operations in the strait.
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“I was informed of an attack today, in the Gulf of Oman, against a vessel that had passed through the Strait of Hormuz,” IMO Secretary General Arsenio Dominguez said in a statement. “This vessel did not transit under the IMO evacuation framework. I have always reiterated that the safety of seafarers remains paramount. Therefore, to ensure a coordinated approach and the safety of navigation, the evacuation plan will be suspended until there is more clarity.”
On Tuesday, the IMO said it had received security guarantees that could allow hundreds of ships to exit the Persian Gulf through the strait. Still, even before the entity’s plan was announced, there were already signs of increased traffic through the strategic waterway.
Two main exit routes through Hormuz have emerged in recent weeks, because the usual route, in the middle of the strait, is considered possibly mined. One of them is close to Iran, while the other follows the coast of Oman and has US protection.
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Just hours earlier, at least three commercial vessels, including two supertankers, appeared to have turned around while trying to leave Hormuz on the Omani side. Maritime intelligence firm Windward Maritime said the course reversals occurred after the Iranian Revolutionary Guard instructed vessels to retreat via radio calls and social media platforms.
Not all ships turned around at the same time as those that returned, according to tracking data compiled by Bloomberg. Some continued their journey. Iranian media also reported that Tehran was reasserting its control over traffic.
Thursday’s turmoil comes two days after the International Maritime Organization, the UN’s global shipping regulator, said it had received assurances that passage through Hormuz was safe. The IMO canceled a press conference on Thursday just minutes before it was due to start, citing unspecified urgent issues.
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Traffic through Hormuz increased rapidly after an interim peace agreement between the US and Iran took effect last week. Still, there were noises, including when Iran said over the weekend that the waterway was closed. Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority said last week that no ship can cross Hormuz without its authorization.
In addition to the three course reversals on departure, a fourth ship also appears to have turned around after sailing toward Hormuz from the Gulf of Oman, tracking data shows.
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