Two cargo ships sink near Hormuz as attacks cut oil flows
The Singapore-flagged GFS Pride sank after being struck and catching fire on Tuesday; its crew were evacuated safely. The Cape Dao, hit by a projectile in September, also sank, with one Indian crew member killed. CNN and Al Jazeera report that attacks on shipping have surged as Iran seeks to pressure Washington over the US blockade of Iranian ports.
Bottom line — Kpler recorded 4.147 million barrels of oil crossing Hormuz on Monday, less than a quarter of pre-war levels.
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Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority said the GFS Pride’s crew were safely evacuated; CNN reported containers and a small oil slick at the site.
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Iranian state media said the GFS Pride hit a sea mine on an unauthorised route; experts cited by CNN said a drone attack was more likely.
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Kpler data cited by CNN put Monday’s oil transit at 4.147 million barrels; Al Jazeera reported 2.9 million barrels on October 11, its lowest figure that month.
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UKMTO recorded 15 attacks between October 6 and 14, 11 of them in the four days before Al Jazeera’s report.
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Al Jazeera reported that Iran has deployed units for surveillance and warned ships against switching off their transponders.
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Democracy Now! reported that the UN is urging Washington and Tehran to arrange fertilizer shipments through Hormuz ahead of the planting season.