October sees highest number of ship attacks on record, report says
October sees highest number of ship attacks on record, report says October has been the worst month for attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and nearby waterways, according to data compiled by a Washington-based think tank that has tracked maritime security incidents worldwide since 2017. "October has seen the highest number of ship attacks on record," said Noam Raydan, a senior…
The Strait of Hormuz and nearby waters witnessed the highest number of ship attacks on record in October, according to a report by a Washington-based think tank. Noam Raydan, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said 28 confirmed and reported attacks occurred in October, with 113 since the US-Israeli war with Iran commenced on February 28.
The majority of attacks in September and October transpired in the Strait of Hormuz. The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) recorded a total of 120 incidents in the Strait of Hormuz and the broader Middle East since the conflict with Iran began, with over 30 supertankers damaged, including 11 in October alone. Each VLCC can transport approximately 2 million barrels of crude, accounting for about 3.5% of the global VLCC fleet.
Shipowners became more willing to transport cargoes inside the Gulf due to high freight rates and discounts offered by regional producers. Between October 5 and 11, a dozen ships were attacked, marking the highest weekly number of attacks since the conflict began. The British maritime security service struggled to capture the full picture due to insufficient voluntary reporting by shippers.
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