A serious maritime security incident was reported in the Gulf of Oman as UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) received a report of a vessel being seized by unauthorized persons, 38 nautical miles north-east of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates.
According to information released by EOS Risk Group, the company’s security officer (CSO) informed that the ship was at anchor when a group of unknowns boarded and took control of it. The same information states that the vessel is now moving towards Iranian territorial waters.
UKMTO has issued a warning to all merchant vessels operating in the area, urging them to maintain heightened vigilance and operational preparedness measures.
In particular, the competent authorities recommend:
continuous visual and radar surveillance on a 24-hour basis,
implementation of ship hardening measures in accordance with BMP (Best Management Practices) guidelines,
immediately report any suspicious activity to the local maritime and port authorities, accompanied by as many details as possible.
The new incident brings back to the fore heightened concerns about the security of international shipping in the wider Persian Gulf and Straits of Hormuz region, where attacks, ship seizures and incidents of harassment of commercial vessels have occurred in the past.
Source: protothema.gr