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Officials in the US claim that two vessels bound for the US were allegedly compromised by hackers.
The US Coast Guard and FBI boarded two 'commercial vessels' bound for the United States last month in the Gulf of Mexico after receiving a report that hackers had hacked into their 'computer networks. The unusual operation was carried out between August 21 and 24 on two foreign-flagged vessels. It comes at a time when US authorities are grappling with a number of cyber incidents which media reports have linked Iran to since the outbreak conflict between Washington and Tehran. The FBI stated that they boarded both vessels after "receiving indications that the networks of both vessels had been compromised." The Coast Guard, who referred to only the August 21 boarding?said "foreign hackers" were involved, but did not identify them. The Coast Guard was contacted by the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency for more information about these incidents. The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency "referred" questions to the Coast Guard. Corey Ranslem said his company, Dryad Global (a maritime security group), had confirmed the Liberian flagged VL Prosperity as one of the vessels. According to LSEG ship tracking data and MarineTraffic, the vessel is currently anchored around Galveston, Texas. Liberia’s flag registry didn't immediately respond to a comment request. Mehr, the Iranian news agency, reported that VL Prosperity suffered a "major cyberattack" as it was?transiting across the Strait of Gibraltar on August 20, and that communications were?blocked for 30 hours. Mehr reported, citing an unnamed member of the crew, that hackers also had infiltrated engine-room systems. They reduced the cooling flow, increased engine speed and disabled the ship’s fuel and engine-oil tanks. The Iranian news agency didn't say who they thought was behind the alleged assault. Ranslem says that despite its dramatic effects, a cyberattack on a ship is not difficult to execute. He said, "We expect these attacks to continue in the near future and expand."
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Tariffs cost the FAA $100 million on US air traffic modernization plan
The head of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has said that the agency 'expects a cost of about $100 million from tariffs for the government's more than $12.5 billion plan to modernize air traffic control. U.S. Representative 'Rick 'Larsen is a Washington Democrat and ranking member of the FAA committee. He said that FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford told lawmakers the tariff cost of $100 million was largely attributed to the air traffic radars they are buying. Larsen said that the tariffs were increasing government costs. Larsen stated, "I have asked them for specific figures and which equipment is affected." "I am not a fan of tariffs. We are trying to modernize the national aerospace system and will have to pay tariffs because of the President's policies. Congress approved $12.5 Billion in funding in the last year for an aging air traffic system, to?boost hiring of controllers and address decades of complaints regarding airport congestion and flight delay. The FAA is asking for at least $10 billion more to complete phase two. A government report released this week revealed that the cost of upgrading telecommunications has increased from $4.75 to $5.91 Billion. Bedford stated that outdated copper wires in telecoms should be replaced before September 2027. Bedford said that two radar suppliers, RTX Collins Aerospace?and Spain's Indra Group, would also be moving their radar production to U.S. locations in Largo and Kansas. He did not specify where the production was moving from. In January, FAA awarded $780,000,000 in contracts to RTX &?Indra for the replacement of?upto 612 ground-based Radars, many of which date to the 1980s. Bedford stated earlier that many radars have exceeded their intended service life, are expensive to maintain, and difficult to support. In March, RTX announced that it would invest $26.5 million to expand its Largo plant, and?Indra revealed it would spend $7.5 million to build the next-generation radars for air traffic surveillance in a Kansas City suburb. Indra also builds next-generation digital audio radios for FAA in Kansas under a separate contract worth $244 million.
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Sources say Shell-led LNG Canada may approve the Phase 2 expansion as early as October.
Three people with knowledge of the project said that partners in the Shell-led LNG Canada Export Project could make a final investment decision for its 'Phase 2 expansion' as soon as next month. The expansion will add 14 million metric tonnes per annum of export capacity for liquefied gas to the Kitimat facility, British Columbia. This effectively doubles the total project capacity, which is now 28 mtpa. The Middle East conflict and disruptions in the Red Sea, as well as the lack of certainty regarding the resumption of flows through the Strait of Hormuz, have prompted LNG buyers to prioritize supply security. This is especially true for those in Asia. LNG Canada is Canada's biggest private sector investment. It's a joint-venture led by Shell, supported by Malaysian Petronas and PetroChina and Korea Gas Corp. The facility, strategically located on Canada's Pacific Coast allows for shorter shipping routes from the US Gulf Coast to Asian markets than US Gulf Coast exporters who must pass through the Panama Canal. "We are continuing to work with our venture partners to explore possible pathways for a Phase 2 expansion. Shell stated in a statement that any decision would be based on factors like affordability and competitiveness, as well as government support and stakeholder requirements. The first phase of the project, which costs?about C$40billion, is designed to generate 14 mtpa from two processing train. The facility shipped its first cargo earlier this year. It is considered a cornerstone in Canada's efforts to become a global LNG exporter.
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Officials in the US claim that two vessels bound for the US were allegedly compromised by hackers.
The US Coast Guard and FBI announced on Thursday that they seized two commercial vessels bound to the United States in the Gulf of Mexico after receiving indications hackers had accessed their computer networks. The unusual operation was carried out between August 21 and 24 on two foreign-flagged vessels. It comes at a time when US authorities are grappling with a number of cyber incidents which media reports have attributed to Iran ever since the conflict began between Washington and Tehran. The FBI stated that a joint Coast Guard-FBI boarded both vessels after "indications" that their networks were compromised. The Coast Guard said "foreign cyber-actors" were involved in the August 21 boarding but did not name them. The agencies did not provide any additional details or explain the discrepancies in their accounts. The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency didn't immediately respond to a message seeking comment. Corey Ranslem (CEO, Dryad Global) confirmed that the Liberian flagged VL Prosperity was one of the vessels. According to LSEG ship tracking data and MarineTraffic, the vessel is currently anchored around Galveston, Texas. Liberia’s flag registry didn't immediately respond to our request for comment. Iran's Mehr News Agency reported that on August 20, VL Prosperity suffered a "major cyberattack" as it transited through the Strait of Gibraltar. Its communications were knocked out for 30 hours. Mehr, citing an unnamed member of the crew, reported that hackers also had infiltrated engine-room system, decreased the cooling flow for the engines, increased the engine speed and disabled the fuel and engine oil?tank. The Iranian news agency didn't say who they thought was behind the alleged assault. Ranslem says that despite its dramatic effects, a cyberattack centered on a ship is not difficult to execute. He said, "We expect these attacks to continue in the near future and expand."
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Boeing 777X will not be delayed by GE Aerospace's GE9X seal issue
GE Aerospace's Chief Financial Officer Rahul Ghai stated on Thursday that he is confident a?durability issue with GE9X engines'?mid-seal?"wouldn't hold up the entry into service of the Boeing 777X next year. In February, the US company announced that it was examining a possible durability issue involving a'seal' in the GE9X. GE announced in April that it had 'identified the cause and was working on a solution. Ghai, speaking at a Morgan Stanley Conference, said that testing had revealed the mid-seal?a part connecting 'the front and'rear sections of engine?was not as durable as GE expected. He said that GE redesigned this part and began shipping GE9X engine fitted with the new sealing to Boeing in third quarter. The company anticipates FAA certification for the redesigned component in the coming months. Ghai stated that GE was "extremely confident" about the redesigned'seal, after a series of internal tests. The design is now being incorporated into engines currently in production. He said the existing seal could be used for the certifications that are in progress, as well as the approvals required before 'Boeing starts ETOPS testing. The FAA is certifying the redesigned seal for production aircraft.
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FAA waives emission rules so Boeing can sell 35 more 777F freighters
Federal Aviation Administration announced on Thursday that it had approved a waiver to the airplane emission rules, allowing Boeing to continue selling 35 more 777F Freighters after 2028. Boeing will be able to continue selling the planes until January 1, 2028 when new emission rules come into effect. This would have prevented the sale of this plane. Boeing had asked for approval in December 2025, citing a strong demand from customers and a delay with the certification of the next-generation aircraft. The 777F remains the only large-widebody freighter currently in production. Its next-generation replacement, the 777-8F (which is expected to enter service around 2029), is still a few years away. Boeing says that without the waiver it would have faced a 'freighter gap' which could have cost U.S. Exports more than $15 billion. The FAA stated that it would give Boeing "flexibility in accommodating uncertainty" regarding the certification timeline for the dedicated freighter aircraft replacement, the 777-8F. BIDEN-ERA EMISSIONS RULES The FAA issued its final rules in February 2024, adopting international standards for reducing carbon pollution by large aircraft flying in U.S. Airspace. This would ban 777F sales starting in 2028. Airplanes that were in service prior to this date are not covered by the rules. Boeing did not respond immediately to a comment request. The planemaker stated earlier that every export of a single 777F aircraft at list price to a foreign client contributes $440 to a positive U.S. trade balance. The company said that without the exemption, more than $15 billion worth of U.S. exported could be lost. The company expects to deliver its first 777-8F aircraft approximately two years after the first delivery date of the 777-9 which is currently set for 2027. Boeing says the 777F is the most fuel-efficient aircraft for the global cargo market, and the only widebody freighter currently in production. Congress passed legislation in 2024 that allows Boeing to continue producing its?767 Freighter in the United States for an additional five years, through 2033, and exempts it from the FAA efficiency regulations taking effect in 2020. FAA previously stated that domestic aircraft are responsible for 9% in transportation emissions, and 2% of the total carbon pollution in the United States. The U.S. announced a climate plan under Biden that aimed to achieve zero greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. Aviation sector by 2050. The FAA stated that the 35 aircraft could increase freighter operation by about 2%, and fuel consumption by around 8% compared to global freighter operations for 2024.
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European stocks rise as oil prices fall and yields stabilize after the Fed's hike
European shares rose Thursday, as lower oil prices and a pause in the global bond saleoff lifted risk appetite after the US Federal Reserve announced its much-anticipated interest rate hike. Most regional markets advanced, as the pan-European STOXX 600 rose 0.9% to 642.6. Metal mining shares led gains with a jump of 2.1%. BMW, Renault, and Volkswagen all saw gains around 2%. Brent crude prices fell for a second consecutive day, despite reports that Saudi Arabia was offering more cargoes via Oman. Prices remained at or above $100 per barrel. The energy sector in Europe grew by 0.1%. The Fed's first rate hike in three years, which occurred on Wednesday, reinforced expectations that central banks will intensify their efforts to combat inflation. Investors weighed the decision as well as signals for further tightening. Luca Bindelli said that the move yesterday was really to restore, I believe,?Fed credibility. This was due to a decline in?interest rate volatility which hurt sentiment and put pressure on equity values. Investors were also focused on Bank of England which kept rates unchanged while warning of the inflationary pressures that would be intensified by rising energy costs. The UK blue-chip FTSE 100 rose 1.2% on the day, its largest one-day increase in more than two months. The preliminary estimate for inflation in the euro zone was 3.3%. This has been revised down to 3.2%. Ulf Kristersson, Sweden's Prime Minister, announced his resignation after the center-left opposition narrowly won a parliamentary majority on Sunday. Social Democrats led by former prime minister Magdalena Andersson are expected to lead the talks for forming the new government. The benchmark index in Sweden rose by 1.1%. Berentzen, among other stocks, jumped by?19.4% following the German spirits producer's confirmation of its negotiations with New Orleans-based alcohol manufacturer Sazerac regarding a possible takeover bid. Allegro, Poland's largest e-commerce platform, raised its forecasts for?2026 while confirming that the second quarter results exceeded the guidance. This sent its shares to the top of the STOXX 600 leaderboard with a 9.5% increase. Helvetia Baloise gained 5,3% after the Swiss insurance company released results for the first six months of the year. The underlying earnings came in ahead of expectations. Bilfinger's biggest ever one-day decline, down 21.4% after the German industrial service group lowered their 2026 outlook, was recorded. Raiffeisen Bank International dropped 6% after Grizzly Research revealed a short position in the Austrian lender.
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GM increases diesel pickups while rivals switch to hybrids
General Motors has chosen a diesel-powered engine for its next-generation pickup, a departure from the hybrid options offered by rivals. GM will launch in the fourth quarter the first major redesign of its most important vehicles since 2019: the Chevrolet Silverado pickup trucks and GMC Sierra pick-up trucks. Together, these two models are the Detroit automaker’s most popular worldwide and generate the majority of its profits. GM announced Thursday that its trucks would offer a diesel engine with improved fuel efficiency. This, along with an option for a larger fuel tank will give them a driving range on the highway of over 900 miles. Ford, Ram, and Stellantis are GM's two main competitors for light-duty trucks. They rely on hybrids in order to get the best fuel economy from their pickups. GM has largely avoided hybrids in the past. Mark Reuss, GM's President said that the 3.0-liter engine is different from adding a hybrid powertrain to an existing one and trying to squeeze the most efficiency out of it. Reuss acknowledged the high diesel prices that topped $6 per litre last week. This was an all-time record. He drew a line between price spikes caused by geopolitical issues and permanent increases. GM, he said, is betting on diesels' superior efficiency in the long term. Ford discontinued its diesel engine in the F-150 early this decade, replacing it with a hybrid version that they said was more fuel efficient and offered better power. A Ford spokesman stated Thursday that "we're going do what's best for F-150 Customers, regardless of what competition says or does." DIESELS GET BETTER MPG BUT CHARGE HIGHER PRICES The redesign of the Silverado Sierra and GM's Silverado unofficially marks a new phase in Detroit's long-running struggle for the pickup truck market. Forecasters predict that Ford will release the next-generation of its F-150 by 2028. GM, Ford, and Stellantis are responsible for over 90% of the sales in this lucrative U.S. pickup market. They compete for bragging rights about performance metrics such as towing capacity and fuel economy. Diesel engines are more fuel efficient than gasoline engines on highways, and this is why most large cargo trucks use diesel engines. The Detroit automakers offer diesel engines in their heavy-duty trucks, like the Ram 2500 and Ford's Super Duty. Their light-duty pickups, however, are different: Ford's F-150 and Silverado/Sierra as well as Ram's 1500. Ford's hybrid four-wheel drive gets an average of 23 miles per gallon, according to the federal rating. GM's four-wheel drive diesel versions of the Silverado & Sierra achieve 24 mpg. The 'federal estimate' shows that because diesel is typically more expensive than gasoline, owners of GM trucks will pay a total of?about $1.050 per annum, based upon 15,000 miles driven. Ram is planning a plug-in hybrid pickup truck with an extended range, which it claims will go 690 miles without stopping. GM said that the redesigned Silverado, and Sierra trucks would have two new V-8 engine designs. These engines will be more powerful and larger than their predecessors and emit less tailpipe pollution.
Special Report-Iran consolidates control of Hormuz through island checkpoints and diplomatic deals, as well as sometimes 'fees.'
The crew of the tanker gathered courage and navigated carefully along the route designated by Iran. They hugged the coast and manoeuvred their massive vessel between island checkpoints in the Strait of Hormuz.
Agios Fanourios 1, a 330 metre long vessel, loaded with Iraqi crude and bound for Vietnam had been bottle-?up near the coast of Dubai, since late April. On May 10, the tanker set out for the Strait of Hormuz after an agreement with Iran, overseen by Iraq’s Prime Minister. The Iranian orders to the tanker are part of the complex multi-tiered system that Iran has used for clearing vessels across the Strait of Hormuz. With Iran now in de ?facto control of the strait, the system can involve government-to-government arrangements, intense vetting by the Iranian government and sometimes fees in exchange for safe passage, has found. The ship's progress in Vietnam, Iraq and Greece was closely monitored by two people, who were interviewed by. The transponder would go dark periodically, but I was still able to sail on the Agios Fenourios. A projectile struck another ship nearby that day and caused a small fire.
The Agios Fanourios 1 icon was displayed on screens late May 10. According to an Iranian official, speedboats from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps stopped the tanker as it passed?Hormuz Island.
The IRGC soldiers who were initially letting the ship through the strait now order the ship to stop. The Iranian official stated that there was a suspicion of smuggled goods and they wanted to inspect the vessel.
The vessel was given Iranian permission to continue a few hours later. This turned what would normally be a five-hour journey through the Strait into a two day ordeal.
One of the people who was monitoring the trip said, "Once we heard that Agios had passed Hormuz we breathed a huge sigh,"
Eastern Mediterranean Shipping, the manager of the ship, and six other people who knew about the passage confirmed that no payments had been made.
Konstantinos Sakellaridis wrote that he had "reasons to believe" that Iranians were oblivious to the transit Agios Fanourios I due to pressure from Iraq and Vietnam.
The Iranian government has not responded to requests for comments about the new mechanism, or the voyage of the Agios fanourios I. Iran’s grip on Strait of Hormuz - the conduit for a fifth of global oil supply - has caused the world economy to be in turmoil. In order to reveal how Iran has been consolidating its control over the strategic chokepoint, we interviewed 20 people who had knowledge of this evolving mechanism. These included Asian and European shipping officials and Iranian and Iraqi official, as well as Iranian and Iraqi officials. We also reviewed Iranian documents relating to the vetting procedure and analysed the movements of ships. Together, these documents provide a rare glimpse into the Iranian scheme, in which the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps plays a key role.
The sensitive nature of the topic made all sources request anonymity. Some details about the Agios fanourios I's journey could not be independently confirmed, but they matched the accounts of multiple maritime officials who were involved in managing the same route and navigating it for cargo ships as well as tankers.
According to the U.S. Military, by early May, there were around 1,500 vessels in the Gulf with 22,500 sailors on board. This bottleneck is caused by Iran's ability, from the coast of the Gulf, to hit ships in the strait. The conflict has become the worst energy crisis in history, according to the head of the International Energy Agency. The U.S. Navy responded by imposing a blockade on Iranian ships and their cargo, with a cordon around the Strait.
A trickle of ships have made it through the waterway. According to an unpublished analysis from the U.S. company SynMax Intelligence, between April 18 and may 6, less than 60 ships passed through. In the days before the war, 120-140 ships would pass through the strait every day. About half were oil tankers.
U.S. laws prohibit American citizens from transacting with the Iranian government. Non-Americans who deal with Iranian entities may also be subject to "secondary sanctions". Many Western governments also maintain their own restrictions and sanctions relating to Iran. The U.S. Treasury Department released a statement May 1 warning about the risks associated with making payments to the Iranian regime or obtaining guarantees from them for safe passage.
The new Iranian mechanism includes a tiered system giving preference to ships linked to its allies Russia and China, followed by countries such as India and Pakistan with close ties to Tehran, and then government-to-government agreements that let vessels like the Agios Fanourios I pass, found.
The U.S. Department of Treasury responded to questions about the system by saying that it was prepared to take action against foreign companies supporting illicit Iranian trade.
It is not possible to determine independently how many ships have used this scheme. Iran said that ships connected to the United States and Israel, who launched aerial attacks against Iran in late-February, may not be allowed to cross the Strait.
Two European shipping sources said some vessels that aren't covered by government-to-government deals are paying Iranian authorities upwards of $150,000 to secure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
Two senior Iranian officials said that security and navigation fees are charged to ships, but the amount varies depending on the cargo. Two senior Iranian officials did not provide specific figures but said that "not all countries pay these fees."
Could not independently confirm whether the amount levied against vessels or the total amount flowing into Iranian coffers was accurate.
"THE NEW NORMS" Under international maritime law governments are not allowed to charge for the safe passage of a strait. As long as all ships are treated equally, fees can be charged for security or service. Secrets are kept about these payments and the names ship owners who paid Iranian authorities for their vessels to be retrieved, because such payments would violate U.S. sanctions against Iran's government. Could not determine the method of transfer or which Iranian entity received the money.
According to two maritime insurance specialists, in addition to being charged, violators will also lose their insurance coverage if they make payments to the IRGC that would benefit it, as?it is a terrorist organization internationally designated.
Danny Citrinowicz is a former Israeli Intelligence officer who specializes in Iran research and analyses.
Citrinowicz said that the Iranian regime's approval was required to open or close the Straits. He is currently working at Israel's Institute for National Security Studies. "Some will pass through due to political alliances. Others will pay a fee, and others will be sent back. "This is the new normal."
China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in response to Iran's findings regarding its new control system, called for the opening of the Strait of Hormuz and expressed concern about "future arrangements" for the strait.
The statement from the Ministry said that "such arrangements should comply with the law and practice of international law, and take into consideration the legitimate security concerns and demands of coastal states as well as the legitimate claims of regional countries and international community."
Checking for affiliation
According to three Iranian and one European source, outside of government agreements the process for securing Iranian permission to transit includes a detailed vetting by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Iran's elite combat force. According to the sources, the IRGC examines a document called an affiliation that is provided by a ship operator or owner and submitted via an intermediary.
The European shipping source said that the affiliation check was to determine if there were any connections between the vessel and the U.S. The Guards review documents for about a week, and they may also want to inspect the ship during this time, according to the source.
According to documents sent by Iran's Persian Gulf Strait Authority to sources in the shipping industry, the IRGC requires shipowners to disclose information including the value and origin of the ship's cargo as well as the nationalities of its crew. In recent weeks, the authority was established to tax and approve vessel transits.
According to three senior Iranian officials, the vetting of ships is done by Iranian state institutions, including the Ports and Maritime Organization, Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade, national shipping organization, and security overseer of Supreme National Security Council. Officials said that the IRGC which oversees Iranian security is also involved in evaluating the vessels.
The countries must also contact Iran's Foreign Minister to ask for permission. One of the officials stated that the minister then forwards them to the Supreme National Security Council which includes representatives of Mojtaba Khamenei and the IRGC.
The official added that "a decision is made and then communicated to all relevant bodies, including the IRGC," he said. The official added that the IRGC gives the necessary coordinates and instructions for safe passage.
According to two sources familiar with the deal, the Iraqi government and its state-owned oil marketer SOMO worked together to negotiate a deal with Iran for the Agios Fanourios I under the supervision then-Iraqi Premier Mohammed Shia al-Sudani.
Three Iraqi officials from the oil ministry said that they had sent the Iranians the crew and manifest information for the Agios fanourios I before the passage.
The Iraqi government has not responded to a question about its arrangements with Iranian officials or details about Agios Fanourios.
Other countries have negotiated different agreements. India is one of them. It imports 90% of its oil and 50% of its natural gas. A large portion of this passes through Hormuz.
According to an official in the Indian shipping ministry, New Delhi uses its embassy at Tehran to communicate with Iranian authorities including the IRGC, the Iranian navy and other Iranian agencies. These entities vet the ships India wants to leave the Gulf.
"Once all is verified, the captain of the ship is given a course to follow and the ship leaves the area under the guidance of the Iran Navy. Officials said that captains were strictly instructed to adhere to the "given route". He added that ships are instructed to turn off location transponders, and to not use satellite communication.
An Indian source familiar with the process said that after Iran gives permission, the Indian Navy contacts the shipmasters of Indian flagged vessels in the Gulf directly and provides them with waypoints.
The Indian navy told us, too, that you should stop if they ask you to. The source stated that "if they tell you to move you should move," and we have been following these instructions.
India's Shipping Ministry announced on May 14 that 13 Indian flagged vessels had cleared the Strait of Hormuz while another 13 remain west of the waterway.
India, Russia Pakistan and Vietnam didn't respond to our requests for comments about Iran's control of the Strait.
FRAUGHT?
According to three Iranians and two sources from the shipping industry, clearing multiple Iranian waypoints is a common requirement for many ships as they leave the Gulf of Aden and enter the Strait of Hormuz. These are often manned by armed personnel.
The Agios fanourios I passed through the Iranian military checkpoints in Abu Musa, Greater Tunb, and Larak. These coordinates were verified using the publicly available location data of the ship and other sources that knew about similar journeys.
According to an Iranian official who was familiar with that incident, when the vessel approached Hormuz Island at the mouth of the strait it was briefly halted by the IRGC speedboats. He claimed that there was some information on possible smuggled goods aboard.
He said that the information was incorrect. After a short period of confusion, the Agios fanourios I resumed its journey.
The Indian shipping industry source stated that a similar chaotic communication was likely the cause of an attack on two Indian flagged ships trying to cross the Strait of Hormuz in the last month. Indian sailors trapped in the Gulf are scared by these incidents.
The Indian shipping source said that these ships do not have any armor or other protection. "The bullets penetrate through." He added that the only targets for shooters are the crew quarters. "They cannot shoot at the tanks, because they are carrying flammable liquids."
A bulk carrier sailed by an Indian sailor through the Strait of Hormuz. The ship waited for permission from the IRGC before it left the Gulf. The Iranian navy then established contact and instructed the ship to proceed towards Larak Island. The naval officials then ordered the captain of the ship to reveal the details about the ship and display its flag. They began talking with the shipping company. The Iranians asked repeatedly about the crew's nationality.
He said that "after a few hours, the IRGC gave the captain a route." The ship, escorted by smaller Iranian navy vessels, was instructed to steer with caution for fear of mines. He said, "It was an incredibly frightening sight." "I cannot even imagine in my wildest fantasies going to sea during a conflict."
Even if vessels make it to the other side of the Strait of Hormuz the ordeal may not be over. The Agio Fanourios 1 was caught in the U.S. Navy blockade a day after leaving Iranian waters. The tanker was tethered to a triangle for six days as the American military processed its paperwork.
"U.S. "U.S. forces ordered the Malta-flagged ship to turn around in order to enforce the ongoing blockade," Capt. Tim Hawkins is the spokesperson for U.S. Central Command.
Sakellaridis said that Vietnam had pressured the United States into letting the ship through. He said there was no reason to stop it in the first place because "the vessel and cargo did not have any Iranian involvement."
It is not possible to determine how many ships the Americans have stopped since the blockade began on April 13th. The Agio Fanourios I, which was seized on April 13, was released without explanation on May 16. The ship is loaded with 2,000,000 barrels of crude oil and will be heading to Vietnam. Reporting by Devjyot Sharma in New Delhi, Gavin Finch, Gavin Finch, Gavin Rasheed, Parisa Hafezi, Ahmed Rasheed, in Baghdad. Florence Tan, Jonathan Saul and Nerijus Adomatis contributed additional reporting. Rene Maltezou, Sunil Kataria, Sunil Adomaitis and Florence Tan also provided editing. Lori Hinnant edited the article.
(source: Reuters)