BANGKOK, Thailand – Major oil tanker operators, LNG carriers, and global trading firms have suspended shipments through the Strait of Hormuz after Iran announced the closure of the critical maritime corridor following large-scale attacks by the United States and Israel.
Officials from a European Union maritime agency said multiple vessels received radio warnings via VHF from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps instructing them not to transit the Strait of Hormuz. The waterway handles roughly one-fifth of global oil shipments, including exports from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Kuwait, and Iran. It is also a key route for liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports from Qatar.
Greece’s Ministry of Shipping has advised vessels to avoid sailing through the Persian Gulf (also known as the Arabian Gulf), the Gulf of Oman, and the Strait of Hormuz, which links the two bodies of water. The British Navy stated that Iran’s order carries no legal authority but urged ships to proceed with extreme caution.
INTERTANKO, the international association of independent tanker owners, said the U.S. Navy has warned vessels against transiting Middle Eastern waters, including the entire Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz, the Gulf of Oman, and the northern Arabian Sea, citing the inability to guarantee safe passage.
Energy consultancy Poten & Partners told clients that while shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has not completely stopped, disruptions are escalating rapidly. Germany’s Hapag-Lloyd has suspended all sailings through the Strait, while port calls in the Persian Gulf may face delays or rerouting. Denmark’s Maersk is coordinating with maritime security firms to safeguard operations in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. France’s CMA CGM has instructed vessels to seek safe harbor as a precaution. (TNA)
