Following a collision between two vessels in the Gulf of Oman, near the Strait of Hormuz, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) coast guard evacuated all 24 crew members from the oil tanker ADALYNN on Tuesday. The crew was safely transported to Khor Fakkan port in the UAE.
Earlier, British maritime security firm Ambrey reported an unspecified incident approximately 22 nautical miles east of Khor Fakkan, UAE, clarifying that it wasn’t security-related. Shipping sources confirmed to Reuters that one vessel had collided with two others.
This maritime incident occurs amidst escalating tensions between Iran and Israel, with recent exchanges of attacks following Israeli strikes aimed at hindering Iran’s alleged atomic weapon development program.
Naval sources have also told Reuters about a recent increase in electronic interference affecting commercial ship navigation systems around the Strait of Hormuz and the wider Gulf, impacting vessels navigating the region.
The Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway between Oman and Iran connecting the Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, is a vital route for global oil transport. Data indicates that roughly 17.8 to 20.8 million barrels of crude, condensate, and fuels have flowed through the strait daily between the beginning of 2022 and the previous month, representing about a fifth of the world’s oil consumption.
As of early Tuesday, neither the Emirati foreign ministry nor Khor Fakkan container terminal had responded to Reuters’ requests for comment.