Iran Attacks Cargo Ship, Disrupting Traffic in Strait of Hormuz Again

Maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz experienced a slowdown following an incident where Iran fired upon a cargo ship off the coast of Oman on Thursday. The vessel, the Singapore-flagged container ship Ever Lovely, operated by a Taiwanese company, reportedly deviated from an authorized route.

While the exact cause of the strike remains unclear, two U.S. officials told Reuters that Iran was the aggressor, a claim Iran has not denied. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, and the ship continued its journey despite sustaining damage. In a separate incident, Iran's Revolutionary Guard claimed on Friday to have intercepted three foreign oil tankers attempting to pass through the strait without authorization.

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If Iran threatens or stops ships in the strait, we have a problem.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) suspended its operations to evacuate ships stranded in the Persian Gulf due to the Iranian actions. IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez stated that since Tuesday, 115 vessels and 2,500 crew members out of 600 ships and 11,000 personnel have been evacuated through the strait.

While some cargo ships passed through on Friday, traffic was notably less than earlier in the week. Shipping services indicated that at least five large oil tankers entered the Persian Gulf, with one proceeding to the Arabian Sea along Oman's coast rather than Iran's shoreline. This follows a recent tentative agreement between Iran and the United States to cease hostilities and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, though disagreements persist over authorized routes and toll collection.

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Safe passage cannot be guaranteed with unclear arrangements, parallel routes or decision-making that bypasses Iran as a coastal state.