DUBAI: In the latest incident of maritime security concerns in the Gulf, shots were fired at a tanker on Wednesday in sensitive Gulf waters. However, the vessel and its crew are reported to be safe, according to a report from the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), a British maritime security body. The latest incident adds to a series of attacks or seizures on commercial ships in the Gulf waters since 2019.
The UKMTO stated that the vessel was located off the coast of Muscat, the capital of Oman, when the shots were fired. The ship, a Bahamas-flagged oil tanker, was Greek-owned and managed by a US company, according to maritime security company Ambrey. Refinitiv ship tracking data identifies the vessel as the Richmond Voyager, a very large crude carrier managed by Chevron. The tanker had recently docked in Ras Tannoura, eastern Saudi Arabia, before the incident.
Attacks on Shipping in Gulf Waters
Ambrey stated that the ship is now en route from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Singapore, having increased its speed and changed course after the attack. Chevron, the company managing the tanker, was not immediately available for comment.
The Gulf region has experienced a series of attacks on shipping since 2019, often occurring during times of heightened tension between the United States and Iran. In a separate incident about a month ago, Iran seized two oil tankers within a week, as reported by the US Navy.
Approximately one-fifth of the world’s crude oil and oil products pass through the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial choke point between Iran and Oman, according to data from analytics firm Vortexa.
The incident highlights the ongoing challenges faced by maritime security in the Gulf region and raises concerns about the safety of commercial vessels operating in these waters.
