Iran says it has seized a third tanker; US discusses increased presence in region 

16 May 2023by Jamey Bergman

Iranian state media has reported Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has seized what the country claims is an ’Iranian oil tanker’ on court order; on the same day, US officials pledged to increase patrols in the Strait of Hormuz in response to Iran’s actions

The US Navy’s Central Command said its Fifth Fleet, based out of Bahrain, will step up patrols and increase rotation of ships and aircraft patrolling the Strait of Hormuz in response to what it said were “unlawful merchant vessel seizures” by Iran.

By its count, the US Navy said Iran has “harassed, attacked or interfered with the navigational rights of 15 international-flagged merchant vessels over the past two years,” calling Iran’s actions destabilising and disruptive.

“Iran’s unwarranted, irresponsible and unlawful seizure and harassment of merchant vessels must stop,” said US Naval Forces Central Command, Fifth Fleet and Combined Maritime Forces Vice Admiral Brad Cooper.

The US Navy said its increased presence in the region is in support of “multinational efforts to deter threats to commercial shipping”, noting the Fifth Fleet will seek to expand “international maritime security collaboration among the International Maritime Security Construct and European Maritime Awareness in the Strait of Hormuz”.

The news came after Iran’s IRNA news outlet posted a story claiming the country had “retaken” a 10,000-dwt oil tanker, Purity, as the vessel transited Middle East Gulf waters.

Quoting a judiciary official from Iran’s Hormuzgan province, Mojtaba Ghahremani, IRNA said the IRGC and Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence “carried out an operation to implement the judicial order”.

“Purity was illegally rented to a foreign individual with forfeited documents about five years ago and its Iranian owners were deprived of their interests,” the official was quoted as saying. “Through investigations made by security organisations, it became clear the foreign company used the vessel for fuel trafficking, so on 7 February 2022, the prosecutor of Bandar Abba, in southern Iran, ordered the tanker to be confiscated. The vessel is now at Asaluyeh Port to be unloaded.” 

VesselsValue’s AIS tracking information shows the last captain’s report from the 9,300-dwt vessel on 8 May and lists the vessel as having been at anchor since 9 May in the vicinity of the port of Assaluyeh, Iran. The AIS data also shows the vessel to have been laden and in the proximity of Khor Fakkan in the United Arab Emirates, which has an oil terminal facility, possibly until 1 May. The vessel’s next AIS tracking movement shows it sailing through the Strait of Hormuz, in ballast, in early May.

Purity’s ownership history has the 15-year-old Panama-flagged product and chemical tanker listed under the ownership of Hong Kong-based, Liberia-registered Sun Ocean Shipping from 2012 onwards, sailing under the name Sun Ocean until 2019. Commercial management of the vessel is listed with India-incorporated Coastal Shipping Links, with the vessel showing regular operation between India and the Middle East over the last several years.

Iranian state media outlet Islamic Republic News Agency said Advantage Sweet had collided with an Iranian military vessel in the Middle East Gulf (source: Advantage Tankers)

3 May 2023

The US Navy has reported that the Iranian navy has seized a VLCC in the Strait of Hormuz after an IRGC naval vessel seized Chevron-chartered Suezmax Advantage Sweet tanker in the Gulf of Oman in late April.

The US Navy published a release on its NavCent public affairs broadcast channel saying Panama-flagged VLCC Niovi had been seized by the IRGC navy while transiting the Strait of Hormuz on 3 May at approximately 06:20 local time.

“The oil tanker departed Dubai and was transiting from the Arabian Gulf toward the port of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates when a dozen IRGC fast-attack craft swarmed the vessel in the middle of the strait. The IRGC subsequently forced the oil tanker to reverse course and head toward Iranian territorial waters off the coast of Bandar Abbas, Iran,” the Navcent release from US Navy’s central command unit in the US’s fifth fleet said.

“A previous incident occurred six days ago when the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy seized Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker Advantage Sweet while it transited international waters in the Gulf of Oman (see full story below). Iran’s actions are contrary to international law and disruptive to regional security and stability. Over the past two years, Iran has harassed, attacked or interfered with the navigational rights of 15 internationally flagged merchant vessels,” the US Navy said.

The VLCC’s AIS data, last updated some eight hours ago, showed Niovi sailing fully laden. The 18-year-old vessel’s registered owner is Grand Financing Co in Liberia, according to VesselsValue’s database, with the vessel sailing for Greece-based Altomare. 

Tensions in Middle East shipping lanes initially escalated after the US unilaterally pulled out of the joint comprehensive plan of action nuclear treaty in 2018 and reimposed sanctions on Iran. Throughout 2019, a series of tit-for-tat measures involving tanker seizures and a diplomatic standoff between the US, UK, Iran, Russia and other states affected commercial shipping in the region. 

https://www.dvidshub.net/video/embed/881959

28 April 2023

The Chevron-chartered Advantage Sweet tanker was seized by an IRGC naval vessel, according to the US Navy.

When it was seized, the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker was sailing in international waters in the Gulf of Oman, which lies between Oman and Iran, according to a US Naval Forces Central Command (US Centcom) report.

Iranian state media outlet Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) said Advantage Sweet had collided with an Iranian military vessel in the Middle East Gulf, “causing several Iranian crew members to go missing and be injured”. IRNA quoted a statement from the Iranian armed forces which said IRGC naval forces later “intercepted the fleeing ship in the Gulf of Oman and directed it toward Iran’s coastal waters”.

US Centcom said the Suezmax tanker had issued a distress call during the seizure.

“Iran’s actions are contrary to international law and disruptive to regional security and stability. The Iranian government should immediately release the oil tanker,” the US military report said.

“Iran’s continued harassment of vessels and interference with navigational rights in regional waters are a threat to maritime security and the global economy. In the past two years, Iran has unlawfully seized at least five commercial vessels sailing in the Middle East.”

IRNA reported another seizure of an oil tanker in the Middle East Gulf as recently as 16 April, saying the vessel was smuggling fuel and cited an IRGC naval source as claiming the force had seized more than 1.5M litres of ’bootleg’ fuel in the region in 2022.

Multiple sources have listed Advantage Sweet as under charter by US oil major Chevron and VesselsValue’s website shows the tanker belonging to Chinese-headquartered SPDB Financial Leasing.

Tanker operator Advantage Tankers’ website shows the vessel in its fleet, confirming VesselsValue’s information, and lists its majority shareholder as “Mrs Nazli Williams”. Gulsun Nazli Karamehmet Williams is the daughter of Turkey’s richest man, Mehmet Emin Karamehmet, who controls holding company Geden Holdings, which includes shipping interests. 

Multiple legal reports tie the two companies together. The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists Offshore Leaks Database lists Geden Holdings as being incorporated in Malta from 14 October 2002, and opencorporates, an open database for corporations, lists the company as having previously held offices in multiple US jurisdictions.

“Established in 2014, Advantage Tankers LLC (Advantage) acts as a holding company for 18 single-purpose vessel owing entities. Advantage is incorporated in the Republic of the Marshall Islands with executive offices in Geneva and London. Advantage is ideally positioned for future growth; it currently owns and operates a modern and dynamic fleet comprising 17 crude carriers, five aframaxes, eight suezmaxes, two very large crude carriers, four DF VLCCs and three chemical and product tankers,” the company’s website said.

Chevron is reportedly aware of Advantage Sweet’s seizure by Iranian Forces, with a spokesperson telling Reuters the company hopes to “resolve the situation as soon as possible”.

VesselsValue’s vessel tracking shows the latest AIS update from the tanker coming more than 24 hours ago when it was shown to be travelling at 13 knots, laden, with an expected destination in the US Gulf of Mexico in late May.

One day after the seizure of Advantage Sweet, an unidentified vessel reportedly came under fire by three vessels off the coast of Yemen.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations directorate said it had received a report from the vessel’s master that the ship was under attack 18 nautical miles south of Nishtun, Yemen. No further details have been reported.