Sailor reports no injuries after rocket, gunfire strike on Barbadian vessel

A Barbados-registered bulk carrier has come under rocket and gunfire attack in the Strait of Hormuz, intensifying fears over maritime security in one of the world’s most critical oil routes as the US-Israel-Iran war deepens, Barbados TODAY can reveal.

A sailor on board the vessel – the Ocean Pretty – which was flying the Barbados flag, reported that the ship came under attack while transiting the narrow passage at the mouth of the Persian Gulf on Thursday, one of the busiest maritime waterways in the world, carrying nearly 20 per cent of global oil trade.

Maritime Insight – the industry’s online guide – reported on Monday that the sailor said no crew members were injured, but that the ship is now stranded near the southern Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas, awaiting inspection.

The extent of the damage to the ship was not immediately known.

The ship received no warning before the incident, the sailor also said.

The ship had raised Chinese flags while trying to move through the area, a step sometimes taken in high-risk zones. But messages in a private group chat warned that such measures may not guarantee safety, Barbados TODAY has learned.

The Barbados Maritime Ship Registry (BMSR) said it was “carefully” monitoring the situation and has already issued operational guidance regarding the war in Iran, with a focus on the Strait of Hormuz.

“Barbados advises on vessels operating in the Strait of Hormuz between the Persian Gulf and Gulfs of Oman. For clarity, under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the Strait of Hormuz is an international strait used for international navigation,” said the registry, which acts as executive agent for the government.

“Vessels are entitled to the right of transit passage. Iran does not have the legal authority to unilaterally suspend or close the Strait to international navigation. Accordingly, there is no prohibition on Barbadian-flagged vessels transiting the area.” 

Iran, which is at war with the US and Israel, has claimed responsibility for several attacks on oil tankers traversing the channel.

Notwithstanding the legal right of ships to use that sea route, the BMSR “strongly” advised that owners, managers and masters conduct thorough risk assessments and consider avoiding the area where operationally feasible, in the interest of crew safety.

“At this stage, the BMSR does not consider it necessary to issue a specific Marine Circular. The situation will continue to be monitored carefully,” it said.

The Barbados Maritime Ship Registry offers ship operators a personal service in all aspects of ship registration.

Since the conflict began, several vessels have stopped using the route or are waiting in nearby waters for safer conditions. Only a small number of vessels are still attempting the passage, mostly with Iranian approval.

Just under 100 ships have passed through the Strait of Hormuz since the start of March, according to data analysed by the BBC, despite periodic attacks on shipping in the area by Iranian forces.

Daily traffic is down about 95 per cent since the war began on February 28, the BBC said.

Before the war, about 138 ships passed through the strait each day according to the Joint Maritime Information Centre, carrying one-fifth of the global oil supply.

According to data provided by shipping analysts Kpler, 99 vessels passed the narrow gap so far this month, an average of just five to six vessels a day, the BBC reported.