Two cargo ships have sunk near the Strait of Hormuz after being hit by projectiles in separate incidents, maritime officials said on Wednesday, as attacks on commercial shipping in the strategic waterway intensify.
The Singapore-flagged container ship GFS Pride sank while transiting the strait after sustaining damage and a fire. All 21 crew members were safely evacuated, with no injuries reported, according to Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority.
In a separate incident, the Antigua and Barbuda-flagged dry bulk carrier Cape Dao sank near the strait weeks after being struck by a projectile on September 23. One crew member was killed, while the remaining crew members were evacuated after the initial attack, maritime sources said.
Attacks threaten commercial shipping
The two vessels are the second and third ships to have sunk since the US-Iran war began on February 28, according to an analysis of casualty data from the International Maritime Organization.
Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority expressed deep concern over continued attacks on commercial vessels, describing them as unjustifiable and a breach of international law.
Maritime risk management company MARISKS warned that the latest incidents highlighted the continuing danger to ships passing through the waterway.
The threat extends beyond oil tankers, with container ships and bulk carriers also suffering serious damage, the company said.
Iran tightens control over strategic waterway
The Strait of Hormuz is a critical global shipping route through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas trade passed before the war.
Security concerns have increased since US and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28. Tehran has since sought to restrict maritime transit through the strait, using its position to increase pressure on Washington.
Iran has also been adopting new tactics against vessels passing through the waterway, seeking to keep oil prices elevated and influence US midterm elections, two senior Iranian officials told Reuters.
Although tankers have been a major focus of attacks by Iran and the United States, other commercial vessels have also been targeted, disabled or sunk.
The Maltese-flagged container ship Safeen Prestige was hit by a projectile in March before sinking north of the strait. In April, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards attacked and seized the container ship MSC Francesca.
The latest incidents add to concerns over the safety of international shipping and the potential impact on global energy markets.
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