Two cargo ships sink near Strait of Hormuz, one sailor killed

Two separate attacks caused ships to lose buoyancy

The maritime sector has suffered new losses: two large cargo ships sank near the Strait of Hormuz within the last 24 hours. Sector representatives reported that the incidents occurred as a result of projectile hits in each case separately.

Details of the GFS Pride container ship accident

The first to sink was the container ship GFS Pride, sailing under the flag of Singapore. The vessel was passing through the strait on Tuesday when it sustained damage. A fire broke out on board following the hit, leading to a loss of buoyancy. The crew of 21 was successfully evacuated; no injuries or fatalities were reported.

Death of a sailor on board the Cape Dao bulk carrier

The second victim of an attack was the bulk carrier Cape Dao, sailing under the flag of Antigua and Barbuda. According to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) — the UN agency for shipping, this vessel had already sustained a projectile hit on 23 September. This time, according to sources in the maritime industry, one crew member was killed, and the remaining sailors were evacuated immediately after the attack.

Increasing threats in the region

An analysis of IMO data indicates that GFS Pride and Cape Dao became the second and third ships to sink since the start of the armed conflict between the US and Iran, which began on 28 February. The number of attacks in this area has risen sharply over the last ten days.

Tehran claims to be intensifying strikes in response to the US blockade of Iranian ports and the introduction of stricter sanctions last month. Two senior Iranian officials told Reuters that Iran is increasingly employing new tactics against ships passing through the strait. The aim of these actions is to keep oil prices high and influence the US Congressional mid-term elections.

Impact on global shipping

The sharp escalation of threats to commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz raises concerns about the safety of this route. Before the war began, approximately one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas trade passed through this waterway.

Following US and Israeli strikes on Iran on 28 February, Tehran is attempting to tighten control over the strait by restricting ship movement to gain leverage over Washington. Although the main targets of Iranian and US attacks were tankers, cargo ships and container ships were also hit. Some of them sustained such damage that they lost the ability to move, or sank completely.