Tankers are attacked almost daily as they pass through the Strait of Hormuz, as Iran intensifies its attacks in an attempt to block the resurgence of crude oil exports.
According to data from the United Nations agency, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), as of the week ending October 4th, 11 oil tankers were attacked while passing through the Strait of Hormuz, which represents the highest number of attacks on commercial vessels since the outbreak of war in late February. Another 5 oil tankers were attacked this week. Maritime security company Marisks reported that on Monday, a projectile struck an oil tanker, resulting in 12 crew members being injured. All of these crew members are Indian citizens, and the vessel involved On Peace is owned by the United Arab Emirates.
The Joint Maritime Information Center warned in a notice to commercial vessels on Thursday, "These actions continue to indicate that Iran intends to assert its presence in key shipping lanes and to persistently exert pressure on passing vessels." The center, based in Bahrain and composed of military forces from U.S. allies, is responsible for monitoring maritime security in the region.
According to Fars News Agency, which is considered close to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, a senior official from the Revolutionary Guards stated on Wednesday that Iran will block all “illegal routes” in the Strait of Hormuz.
As attacks on oil tankers surged, crude oil exports from the Middle East region rebounded to pre-war levels in September, thanks to the U.S. military escorting vessels along the coast of Oman through the Strait of Hormuz.
Windward A senior maritime intelligence analyst from a risk management and monitoring service company, Michelle Wiese Bockmann, stated: 'The goods are being transported, but they are doing so during a period of extremely high maritime risks.'
According to data from the International Maritime Organization, since July, at least 9 crew members have died in attacks on ships.
The editor-in-chief of the shipping industry trade publication, Richard Meade, stated in a briefing on Thursday: "This is not a sustainable new normal."
U.S. Central Command briefed shippers on the situation in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday. Central Command stated on Wednesday that 20 million barrels of crude oil had passed through the strait and refuted Iran's claims that the waterway had been closed.
With the increase in attacks, crude oil flows have recently declined. Data released on Friday by Kpler shows that as of Wednesday of that week, exports through the Strait of Hormuz were 8.5 million barrels per day, which is about 40% lower than the pre-war normal level. The data indicates that the overall exports from the Middle East region were 15.3 million barrels per day, 10% lower than the pre-war level.
Meanwhile, due to the U.S. Navy's blockade of Iran, Iran has not loaded any crude oil for export since late August, according to Kpler.
Tehran has expanded the scope of its strikes to the Persian Gulf, and the Revolutionary Guards have warned that they will not limit attacks to the Strait of Hormuz. According to state-owned media Tasnim News Agency, the Revolutionary Guards stated that they will pursue any vessels that violate Iranian traffic rules in the entire region.
A British maritime security agency that monitors the situation in the Gulf said that on Wednesday, an oil tanker was hit by multiple projectiles near the coast of Qatar, resulting in casualties.
Another oil tanker, Gem No, was hit by a projectile near the coast of the United Arab Emirates on Friday, resulting in a fire on board. According to Marisks, this ship set sail from Ras Tanura in Saudi Arabia in March and has been staying in the Persian Gulf since the outbreak of the war.
The International Maritime Organization reported that since the outbreak of the war in Iran in late February, 100 commercial vessels have been attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, the Persian Gulf, and the Gulf of Oman, with at least 24 crew members dying.
