A Marshall Islands–flagged crude oil tanker, Talara, has been apprehended today by three small boats belonging to the Iranian military whilst transiting the Gulf of Oman on a voyage from the United Arab Emirates to Singapore. The 73,371 dwt has since been redirected to the Iranian coastline. The ship is managed by Columbia and owned by Cyprus-based Pasha Finance.
This marks the first Iranian hijacking of a commercial vessel this year. The last confirmed hijacking of a commercial vessel by Iranian military forces was in April 2024, when Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) seized the MSC Aries, a Portuguese-flagged container ship, via a helicopter-borne operation in international waters.
“Merchant vessels are advised to remain vigilant while transiting the Strait of Hormuz and to report any suspicious activity immediately,” maritime security specialist advised today.