On Tuesday, two oil tankers collided near the Strait of Hormuz and caught on fire.
According to a Reuters article, the incident took place during a period of increased electronic interference, which was attributed to conflict between Iran (Israel) and the United States. The crew was not injured and no oil leakage occurred.
United Arab Emirates Coast Guard evacuated 24 people from Adalynn ship to Khor Fakkan Port following the accident, which occurred at a distance of 24 nautical miles east coast.
Frontline, a company listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange and the owner of Front Eagle reported that the crew members aboard the Front Eagle were all safe. The deck of the tanker was ablaze, but there were no signs of pollution.
Miscalculations in navigation between ships
TankerTrackers.com reports that the Front Eagle transported 2,000,000 barrels of crude oil from Iraq to Zhoushan in China.
According to the monitoring services, Adalynn is a Suezmax class tanker owned by India’s Global Shipping Holding Ltd. It was deladen, and on its way to Egypt’s Suez Canal.
TankerTrackers.com, on X reported that Front Eagle was traveling at 13.1 knots southbound and made a right turn to starboard. The Front Eagle’s starboard (right) turn led to an accident with the Adalynn, which was traveling southeast at 4.8 knots.
TankerTrackers.com stated in their X-post that “According to the data available, it does not seem to be a regional conflict or electronic warfare targeting AIS/GPS from sources known to interfere with signals such as Assaluyeh, Iran, and Bandar Abbas.”
In addition to AIS and radar, ships also use radio communication for coordination. It is likely that the incident was caused by a miscalculation or misunderstanding between vessels.
The report will be updated with new satellite images and details as they become available.
Strait of Hormuz crucial to oil trade
The Strait of Hormuz links the Gulf of Oman to the southwest with the Arabian Sea and Gulf of Oman to the north.
Since Friday, direct missile exchanges have further destabilised the already-tense geopolitical scene in the Middle East.
This unprecedented rise in tensions has far-reaching and immediate consequences for the global energy and maritime markets, as well as other sectors.
In the next few days, we will closely monitor the significant disruption of navigation systems along the Strait of Hormuz.
This vital route between Iran and Oman is the chokepoint where approximately one fifth of all oil in the world passes through every day.
Navigational Risks
The safety of commercial ships is seriously threatened by any interference in navigation, whether it’s due to GPS jamming tactics or electronic warfare techniques used by either side.
The increased risk of accident and transit time for tankers and cargo ships that rely on precision navigation is forcing them to increase their caution.
The escalating conflicts cast a shadow on global energy security, beyond the immediate dangers to navigation.
A sustained disruption in the oil flow through the Strait of Hormuz or a perceived threat could cause a spike in the price of crude oil, impacting economies around the world.
Shipping costs have increased further as insurers raised their premiums on vessels in the area.
According to Vortexa, the daily flow of crude oil, condensate and fuels varied between 17.8 and 20.8 millions barrels from early 2022 to last month.
The JMIC Information Center, a multi-national entity led by the US Combined Maritime Force, released an advisory this week.
In the advisory, it was stated that electronic interference reports had been received from areas in the Gulf Region and the Port of Bandar Abbas of Iran.
Tehran, in response to Western pressures, has threatened to stop traffic on the Strait.
As new information becomes available, this post may change.
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