Tag: Gulf of Oman

As the Iranian military published through its Facebook account, Iran seized another a foreign oil tanker in the Gulf, stating that the seized vessel was smuggling fuel. Thus, the military detained seven crewmen. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard seized the foreign vessel, supporting that it was transmitting 700,000 litres of oil to 'some Arab countries in the Persian Gulf.' 

Stena Bulk and Northern Marine Management released an announcement demanding to be granted access to the vessel 'Stena Impero' to conduct a full assessment. However, they are still waiting for a response from Iranian authorities. They also stated that there is no current evidence the ship has breached any maritime rules or regulations, and they supported 'the professionalism and conduct of the crew of the Stena Impero.'

The International Bargaining Forum has started discussions on vessels transiting through the Gulf of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz. The discussions follow 10 weeks of increased aggression against merchant ships in the area, which peaked with the seizure of the Stena Impero on 19 July.

France, Italy and Denmark are supporting an UK plan for a European-led naval mission to ensure safe transits through the Strait of Hormuz, after Iran seized a British-flagged tanker, according to three senior EU diplomats. Except for this idea, British foreign ministry and defense officials have also discussed about a possible mission, which would involve not just ships but aircrafts too.

According to the Farsnews, Iranian news agency, the Iranian President, Hassan Rouhani, commented that Iran is the 'guardian of security in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz', adding that the regional issues will be solved through discussions amongst neighbors.

Following the attacks that took place near the port of Fujairah and the Gulf of Oman, OCIMF presents measures to be implemented and guidance so that the crew and the vessels are safe when sailing through the spiked area.

US Central Command is developing a multinational maritime effort, called Operation Sentinel, to expand surveillance of and security in key waterways in the Middle East to ensure freedom of navigation under the recent events in the Arabian Gulf region. 

Following the Stena Impero seizure from Iran, the UK called for a European-led naval mission in the Strait of Hormuz, to ensure safe navigation. After a meeting of COBR, Foreign Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, presented the government's plan on how to keep the area safe. 

The charterer of the Iranian-seized 'Riah' denied Iran's claims that the vessel was seized because it was smuggling fuel. According to the company, the vessel was empty of any cargo when it was seized while sailing through the Strait of Hormuz. 

After the detention by Iranian Revolutionary Guard forces of the UK-flagged Stena Impero on 19 July and the latest reported actions which have seen the 23 person crew taken off the ship for 'questioning', Human Rights at Sea reinstated its call for widely-accepted UN guidance, describing the basic human rights protections for crew during the deprivation of their liberty in such cases.