Missiles struck two container ships in Global Feeder Shipping’s (GFS) fleet in the Strait of Hormuz in the last 24 hours, with one vessel subsequently sinking after catching fire.
Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) said that the 2008-built 2,824 teu GFS Pride was damaged and caught fire before sinking. All of its 21 crewmen were evacuated, with no injuries reported.
The other ship, 2015-built 4,350 teu GFS Giselle, sustained hull damage but remained operational and proceeded under its own power to a safe anchorage. All 22 crew members were safe, and no injuries were reported.
Both ships are Singapore-flagged but had no Singaporeans among their crew.
SeaSearcher’s AIS data shows that GFS Pride was approximately one nautical mile east of Ras Makhbuq, Oman, when it was hit.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy said an unnamed container ship carrying more than 2,500 containers had struck a mine while transiting what it described as an “unauthorised and dangerous” route through the strait.
The sinking of GFS Pride is the second vessel loss since the US-Israel-Iran war began on 28 February, according to data from the International Maritime Organization, the United Nations’ shipping agency. The earlier incident involved a bulk carrier, Cape Dao, which sank in the Gulf of Oman yesterday, after being hit by two torpedoes on 23 September. One Indian seafarer was killed and two others were injured.
Both GFS Pride and GFS Giselle were originally owned by Dubai-based Simatech Shipping, before the latter’s liner operations were acquired by GFS in October 2018. Abu Dhabi-based AD Ports owns 81% of GFS.
GFS’ website states that GFS Pride served a Khor Fakkan-Fujairah-Karachi service, and was supposed to have arrived in Khor Fakkan on Friday. GFS Giselle is deployed on a Fujairah-Khor Fakkan-India (Nhava Sheva) service and was due to have arrived in Khor Fakkan, also on Friday.
MPA said it was in contact with the vessels’ management company and was closely monitoring developments.
The authority expressed concern over continued attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, including the latest incidents involving the two Singapore-registered ships.
It described the attacks as unprovoked and unjustifiable, saying they violated international law.
MPA added that all actions affecting international shipping must comply with international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and must not jeopardise the safety of vessels or seafarers.