In light of the sabotage incident against four commercial vessels, off United Arab Emirates territorial waters in the Gulf of Oman, sources revealed that the two sabotaged vessels were identified as the Saudi oil tankers Al-Marzoqah and Amjad. In the meantime, the other two vessels were the Norwegian tanker Andrea Victory, and a UAE bunkering barge, the A Michel.
Specifically, the UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MOFAIC) announced the incident on Sunday, May 12.
The incident took place in the Gulf of Oman, near port of Fujairah.
According to sources, the owners of the Andrea Victory vessel, Thome Group, commented that an unknown object hit the tanker above the waterline, causing a hole in the hull.
In the meantime, Gard’s local correspondents in the UAE reports that, as of 14 May 2019, the port of Fujairah is open and operating as normal.
Yet, since the cause of the incident remains unknown, the Club notes that the situation is not stable and the efficient operation of the port may be reversed.
Ship Masters should stay in close contact with local port authorities/ship’s agent to obtain the most up to date and reliable information available at any given time. Some Flag Administrations may require a heightened security level for Fujairah port, meaning that ships need to implement additional protective measures in accordance with the formal Ship Security Plan.
