Three Oil Tankers Hit as Iran Closes Key Gulf Shipping Route

Multiple oil tankers sustained damage near the Persian Gulf following military strikes between the U.S., Israel and Iran. Iran has shut down navigation through the crucial Strait of Hormuz waterway, with over 200 commercial vessels now anchored in surrounding waters.

Multiple oil tankers were struck and damaged in Persian Gulf waters following military exchanges between the United States, Israel, and Iran, according to shipping industry officials and maritime security sources who reported the incidents Sunday.

Commercial vessel traffic faces dramatically heightened dangers in the region over the past day, with shipping data revealing more than 200 ships – including oil and liquefied gas carriers – have anchored near the Strait of Hormuz and adjacent waters.

Iranian authorities have declared the vital shipping corridor closed to navigation.

Jakob Larsen, who serves as chief safety and security officer for shipping organization BIMCO, warned that recent military actions have created severe risks for maritime operations.

“The U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran dramatically increases the security risk to ships operating in the Persian Gulf and adjacent waters,” Larsen stated.

“Ships with business connections to U.S. or Israeli interests are more likely to be targeted, but other ships may also be targeted deliberately or in error,” he added.

Among the damaged vessels, a Palau-flagged oil tanker under U.S. sanctions was struck Sunday near Oman’s Musandam peninsula, leaving four crew members injured, according to that nation’s maritime security center. Officials did not identify what struck the ship.

The Marshall Islands-flagged crude carrier MKD VYOM also took a projectile hit while carrying cargo off Oman’s coastline, maritime security sources confirmed Sunday. The vessel was struck approximately 44.4 nautical miles northwest of Muscat, according to one source.

Britain’s maritime agency UKMTO reported that a loaded merchant ship experienced an explosion in the same area.

A separate tanker docked at the United Arab Emirates’ Jebel Ali port narrowly avoided damage from falling debris during an aerial interception following overnight Iranian strikes on Gulf nations, maritime security sources reported.

A third oil-bunkering vessel sustained damage off the UAE coastline, shipping sources confirmed.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration issued guidance Saturday urging ships to avoid the Strait of Hormuz and broader Gulf of Oman region due to potential Iranian retaliation.

“Any U.S.-flagged, owned or crewed commercial vessels that are operating in these areas should maintain a standoff of 30 nautical miles from U.S. military vessels to reduce the risk of being mistaken as a threat,” the advisory stated.

Security sources also warned of possible mine deployment by Iranian forces in the narrow shipping channels within the Strait of Hormuz.

Two U.S. officials previously told Reuters in July that Iranian military forces had placed naval mines on vessels in the Persian Gulf during June, raising concerns in Washington about potential blockade preparations for the strait.

Maritime industry sources anticipate significant increases in war risk insurance premiums when underwriters reassess coverage Monday.

War risk insurance becomes mandatory when vessels enter dangerous zones, and Lloyd’s of London market has already designated Iran, the Gulf region, and portions of the Gulf of Oman as high-risk areas.

Dylan Mortimer from insurance brokerage Marsh projected substantial rate hikes ahead.

“We would estimate that near-term rate increases for marine hull insurance in the Gulf could range from 25% to 50%,” Mortimer said.