Oil tankers face risks in Gulf amid attacks and rising ship-to-ship transfers

Tensions in the Gulf region have escalated following reports of maritime incidents involving oil tankers. A crude oil tanker was struck by an unidentified object near the coast of Oman, causing a fire on board. According to the Fars News Agency, the vessel, a supertanker with a capacity of 2.5 million barrels, was hit approximately 8 kilometers off the coast of Oman while passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) confirmed receiving reports of a tanker being hit by unknown ammunition, though no casualties were reported.

In a separate development, there is an increasing trend of ship-to-ship transfers in the Gulf of Oman. This method involves transferring crude oil between tankers in open waters to avoid congested ports or security risks. While originally used for logistical efficiency, the technique has taken on a strategic dimension, with reports indicating that Iran has utilized these transfers to bypass US sanctions. Satellite imagery shows clusters of tankers positioned close together in the Gulf of Oman, often far from the Strait of Hormuz, to facilitate these operations.