Oil tankers face ‘worst case scenario’ in Hormuz, maritime risk CEO says
The security situation in the Strait of Hormuz has turned into a “worse-case scenario” for oil tankers as Iran repeatedly attacked ships last week, the CEO of a maritime risk services firm said.
“We are seeing a decrease in the volume of transit through the Strait of Hormuz, and now ship crews are much more worried than before,” said Dimitris Maniatis, CEO of Athens-based Marisks. Lloyd’s List Intelligence We will give a briefing this week.
“No one is willing to move,” Maniatis said.
At least nine ships have been attacked since July 6, as Iran forced the ships to transit Hormuz through its own territorial waters rather than a route protected by the US military along the coast of Oman. International Maritime Organizationa United Nations agency.
According to IMO, one sailor was killed and three others were injured in an attack on the crude oil tanker Al Bahyah off the coast of Oman on Tuesday. On the same day, 11 sailors were injured in the attack on the crude oil tanker Mombasa B, which was sailing near Oman.
Jakob Larsen, security chief of BIMCO, one of the world’s largest maritime unions, said that anti-ship missiles were used in Iran’s attacks.
“All of this is resonating with the crew, and they’re not very happy to do it right now, no matter what they’re promised,” Maniatis said. “This is no longer about money. It’s not about a higher calling. It’s all about the fear that’s driving decision-making right now.”
The US military disabled an empty oil tanker on Wednesday after resuming its naval blockade of Iran this week. US Central Command. Centcom said that the Curacao-flagged M/T Belma ignored many warnings while passing through international waters towards Iran’s Kharg Island.
Larsen said the traditional route through the middle of Hormuz, known as the traffic separation scheme, was still too dangerous for ships due to the threat of mines.
“If a mine explodes, it’s usually under the ship,” he said. “The mine is a very powerful weapon, so it is extremely dangerous for ships to hit a minefield.”
Hormuz traffic blocked
President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Hormuz is open to all ships other than Iran following the reimposition of a U.S. naval blockade.
“If people want to go through this process, it’s open,” Trump said in an interview on Fox News. “We are not opening it to Iran. This is the only place it is closed. It is closed both in and out of Iran, but it is open right now.”
However, ship tracking companies observed a huge decrease in traffic. According to Lloyd’s team of analysts, Hormuz is largely closed again, with a small number of ships passing through with their transponders turned off. watch the throat.
Traffic falls to three-week low, data shows business intelligence firm Kpler. Kpler said ship transits dropped from 15 ships the previous day to eight on Thursday. Before the US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, more than 100 ships passed through Hormuz every day.
The United States launched six rounds of airstrikes on Iran in retaliation for the tanker attacks. Tehran responded with missiles targeting US allies in the Gulf. Iran and its Houthi allies in Yemen are threatening to shut down ship traffic in the Red Sea, which has become a vital alternative route for Saudi oil exports during the war.
“Unfortunately, tensions appear to be on track to escalate and the situation may worsen over time,” Larsen told CNBC.
Seafarers need reassurance
The escalation of the conflict occurred when the United States and Iran disagreed on how Hormuz should be reopened, within the scope of the memorandum of understanding they signed on June 17. Tehran promised safe passage to ships in the strait, but the agreement did not define which lanes ships should use.
Larsen said shipping companies need reliable assurance from Iran and the United States that Hormuz is safe. He said that in the absence of a deal, the alternative is for the United States to continue attacking Iran’s missile batteries, drone operators and warships. The analyst said traffic could pick up again if shippers believe the United States has successfully mitigated the threat from Tehran.
Larsen said shipping companies have different risk appetites, with some willing to transit the Strait of Hormuz while others are avoiding the strait altogether.
However, the analyst said that the decision to divert Hormuz was not solely in the hands of “the ship owner sitting behind his desk”.
“It also requires the crew to really be on the same page,” he said.
