Tag: Strait of Hormuz

As tensions in the Middle East are rising, South Korean government is rethinking the option of sending naval vessels to the Strait of Hormuz by expanding the operational scope of its anti-piracy 'Cheonghae Unit' when the next ship is rotated to the Gulf of Aden next month.

The Royal Navy will accompany British-flagged vessels through the Strait of Hormuz to provide protection during high tensions in the region, according to the Defense Secretary Ben Wallace. As he stated, he has instructed HMS Montrose and HMS Defender to return to accompanying duties of Red Ensign Shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

With one of the most powerful military commander of Iran announced to be killed by a US air strike in Baghdad, Iraq earlier this morning, the merchant shipping heading close to the Middle Eastern waters has been pushed back and put on high alert due to fears that Iran will respond to the American drone strikes.

According to Bloomberg, Iran detained a vessel, along with the crewmembers onboard the vessel, which was transmitting smuggled fuel near the entrance of the Strait of Hormuz. The detained tanker, intercepted close to Abu Musa island, was transferring 1.3 million liters of smuggled fuel, or the equivalent of just 8,000 barrels.

Although IMB figures indicated a decrease in the number of incidents for the first nine months of 2019 compared to the same period in 2018, piracy in terms of crew kidnappings reached another record high this year, pushing shipping to rethink its approach on maritime security.

A European-led mission for protection of Gulf waters expected to operate soon will be hosted by a French naval base in UAE, France’s defense minister said on Sunday. The decision came in the wake of the subsequent tanker attacks earlier this year in the region which triggered global diplomatic tension. 

The US Navy stated that on Tuesday, November 19, the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group (ABECSG) completed a scheduled transit through the Strait of Hormuz and into the Arabian Gulf.

Nautilus International has welcomed a reduction in risk levels by the UK for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Namely, on November 7 the Warlike Operations Area Committee (WOAC) agreed to downgrade the Strait of Hormuz from a High-Risk Area.

The US Central Command announced the opening of Coalition Task Force (CTF) Sentinel’s new command center at Naval Support Activity, Bahrain, on November 7. The new coalition aims to "ensure freedom of navigation and free flow of commerce in international waters throughout the Arabian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Oman."

The tension in the Strait of Hormuz over the last months continues to pose serious threats to commercial vessels. Today, Thursday, November 7, a UK Chamber of Shipping spokesperson called for a de-escalation of tension in the Strait of Hormuz, adding that UK flagged ships will soon transit the area without close Royal Naval protection.