Unidentified Projectile Hits Supertanker off UAE Outside Strait of Hormuz

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) stated that a tanker was struck by an unidentified projectile approximately 13 nautical miles west of Al Jazirah in the UAE at 10:00 AM GMT on Friday, triggering a fire on board that was later extinguished. British maritime risk management group Vanguard said the vessel sent a distress call reporting a fire on board, which was subsequently put out.

Shipping and security sources reported that the vessel is the Panama-flagged very large crude carrier "GEM NO.2," while LSEG vessel tracking data showed its last recorded position was off the coast of the UAE fully laden with crude. The operating company, "Gem No.2 Maritime Corp" registered in Panama, could not be reached for comment, and the agency declined to disclose the vessel's name, as is its usual practice.

Maritime security sources stated that the location of the strike outside the Strait of Hormuz indicates an expanding scope of risks to navigation, after a tanker was hit this week off Qatar inside the Gulf. The incident comes amid an escalation in attacks on vessels, following Iran's warning that it would intercept unauthorized routes, with sources stating that the frequency of incidents has increased over the past week.

The US Navy-led Joint Maritime Information Center said in its update issued Thursday that attacks have become more frequent in recent days and that they "require additional vigilance from crews and broader monitoring from the sector." UKMTO had advised vessels in the vicinity of the incident to exercise caution while transiting and to report any suspicious activity, while no party has claimed responsibility for the strike.

What Do These Terms Mean?

Nautical Mile: A unit used to measure navigation distances, equal to 1.852 kilometers, slightly longer than the land mile used on roads.

Very Large Crude Carrier: A massive vessel designed to transport crude oil, with a capacity that can exceed two million barrels per trip, making it an impactful target in any security disruption.

Strait of Hormuz: A narrow waterway connecting the Gulf to the Sea of Oman, transited by a large proportion of global oil exports, making it one of the most sensitive channels to tensions.