Iran Increases Pressure on Shipping Doubling “Non-Compliant” List

Iran’s so-called Persian Gulf Strait Authority, without fanfare, on Monday released a new list of vessels it calls “non-compliant,” doubling the number of vessels and reiterating its further limitations. It comes after weeks of increased attacks on shipping, broad claims from Iran, and was followed by a small retaliatory strike by the United States.

The Iranians continue to assert that ships added to the listing “shall face restrictions on future passages, including fines, detention, or confiscation.” The ships are reported not to have complied with the demand for transiting only through the northern channel near Iran and clearing their passage with the Iranians.

The list now totals 240 vessels, with an additional 114 ships on this latest version. Risk intelligence firm Orbital issued an analysis of the update noting that only half the vessels (118 of the 240) are crude oil tankers and that they made up 65 of the additions. Other types of vessels include LPG and LNG carriers as well as a few bulk carriers and four containerships.

Orbital’s analysis shows, however, that the concentration is on the vessels of the Gulf states and their national shipping companies. The Kuwait Oil Tanker Company, Bahri and NCC, ADNOC, Nakilat and QatarEnergy, and Safeen and AD Ports are all heavily targeted, with a total of 72 of the vessels listed and 25 among the latest additions.

This story was originally published by The Maritime Executive. Read the full story at The Maritime Executive →