An oil tanker off the coast of Iraq has discovered an explosive object on its hull, the latest incident highlighting the risk to ships in the waters near the Arabian Peninsula.
According to the Liberian Pola, a “suspicious object” was spotted on the ship as it was loading cargo to another vessel, according to a statement from owner Dynacom Tankers Management, who added that all crew members are safe.
According to an official, the object was later considered a bomb and an Iraqi naval force with an explosives team was sent to detonate the device. refused to be nominated. It was not immediately clear who would place it on the tanker.
The Persian Gulf and the Red Sea were a hotspot for attacks on ships in recent years, with tensions flaring up between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Earlier this month a An explosion that Saudi officials described as a “terrorist” attack has ripped off a ship in the port of Jeddah on the Red Sea. This incident occurred several weeks after an oil tanker was damaged in a possible attack in the same water.
At the same time, there is a greater focus on security in the region – especially with Iran, which is subject to US sanctions – while President-elect Joe Biden is preparing to succeed Donald Trump in January. Almost exactly a year ago, Trump introduced a drone in Iraq that killed one of Iran’s most powerful generals.
The Pola, a Suezmax-class vessel, has been anchored since November 7 and is likely to be used as a floating storage for oil, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. When the object was discovered on the hull, it appeared that the tanker was transferring cargo to the Nordic Freedom, operated by Nordic American Tankers Ltd. owned.
According to the official, the Pola buys oil abroad and is not connected to Iraq’s export terminals.
UK Maritime Trade Operations, which acts as a liaison between the Royal Navy and merchant vessels operating in high-risk areas, initially identified the incident without naming or specifying the vessel attached to the hull. Maritime safety consultant Dryad Global said the object was presumably a slack mine that could be attached to a ship.
According to a spokesman, the US Fifth Fleet, which operates in the region, had no further details than UKMTO said in its notice.
– Assisted by Julian Lee