Commercial shipping around the Strait of Hormuz has been given another reminder that the waterway is open, but far from normal.
A tanker was struck by an unknown projectile late Monday while transiting just east of the strait. UK Maritime Trade Operations said it received a report from the vessel’s master that the tanker had been hit on its port side around eight nautical miles east of Limah, Oman, while travelling southbound. The impact sparked a fire onboard, although no casualties or pollution were reported. Authorities are investigating.
The strike appears to have occurred on or close to the US-coordinated southern transit corridor off Oman, which has become the main route for a portion of commercial vessels entering and leaving the Strait of Hormuz since last month’s ceasefire. The corridor was expanded after mine hazards made the traditional traffic separation scheme unsafe for normal navigation.
The Joint Maritime Information Center recently reiterated that the maritime security threat level in the Strait of Hormuz remains “substantial”, while advising that the expanded southern corridor remains open to all commercial traffic. The advisory said vessels may use the route by day or night with AIS activated, navigation lights on, radars operating and normal VHF communications, in line with best management practices. Coordination with US Naval Forces Central Command’s Naval Cooperation and Guidance for Shipping remains encouraged, but not mandatory.
The attack came as commercial shipping had been gradually returning to Hormuz following last month’s US-Iran ceasefire agreement. Traffic remains well below pre-crisis normality, but tanker and gas carrier movements had recovered enough to ease some pressure on oil markets and persuade more charterers to consider Gulf loadings again.
That confidence now looks more brittle. The Wall Street Journal reported that US officials accused Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of firing missiles at two commercial ships, including the Qatari LNG carrier Al Rekayyat, which reportedly suffered an engine room fire but had no casualties. Iran has not issued an official claim of responsibility.
The incident also comes as the UK and France prepare to increase their naval role around the strait. In a joint statement, London and Paris said Oman had agreed to work with them to ensure its territorial waters are safe for navigation, adding that both countries were ready to deploy a wider multinational military mission to support freedom of navigation.
Marine consultancy Brookes Bell has warned that bulk carriers carrying elemental sulphur cargoes in the Strait of Hormuz face significant corrosion risk after prolonged delays at anchorage. Some vessels have remained at anchor for more than 60 days, far beyond the standard 20-day working life of the limewash hold protection used for sulphur cargoes.
Once that protective barrier is exhausted, contact between sulphur, moisture and exposed steel can create an acidic environment, accelerating localised pitting corrosion. Brookes Bell said it has documented pitting of up to 5 mm in around 50 days on vessels that have managed to exit the strait since February, with some cases recording wastage of up to 7 mm. Normal seawater corrosion is far slower.
