Two oil tankers collided and caught fire near the Strait of Hormuz Wednesday night. The tankers, located off the coast of Iran, were reportedly experiencing navigational problems.
The ships involved were the Adalynn and Front Eagle. Initial reports suggest the crash was due to a “navigational error.” The Emirati National Guard reported it evacuated Adalynn’s 24-person crew, and no deaths resulted from the crash.
This crash comes amid reports from the U.K. Maritime Trade Operations of increased electronic interference within the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz in the past few days, since tensions between Iran and Israel have escalated. The jamming significantly affects vessels’ ability to report their positions.
About 20% of the world’s oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, which separates the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. Despite the importance of this critical waterway, some shipping firms have canceled their routes through the area due to the increased risks resulting from the conflict between Israel and Iran. Frontline, the world’s largest publicly listed oil tanker company, said it would no longer take contracts to sail through the Strait of Hormuz.
There are reports that the Adalynn is a ‘dark fleet’ tanker. The U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control previously accused it of violating trade sanctions with Venezuela. This was resolved after a change in ownership in 2024.
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Increased tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz add to other maritime concerns in the region. After the Houthis attacked ships in the Red Sea, many shipping firms do not plan to return to that lane.
Peter Tirschwell, vice president for maritime and trade at S&P Global Market Intelligence, said, “The ocean carriers have no plans to go back in mass into the Red Sea and so, the very threat of military activity around a narrow important routing like the Strait of Hormuz is going to be enough to significantly disrupt shipping.”