A Panama-flagged general cargo vessel, HMM Namu, was struck by an explosion while at anchor off the UAE, marking the latest in a series of escalating maritime security incidents near the Strait of Hormuz.
The 38,000 dwt vessel, built in 2026, was anchored off Umm Al Quwain when it was hit by an unidentified object. A distress signal was transmitted at 11:40 UTC by a nearby ship. According to maritime security firm Vanguard Tech, the blast occurred on the port side near the engine room.
Initial security assessments suggest the explosion may have been caused either by an unmanned surface vehicle (USV), commonly referred to as a sea drone, or a drifting sea mine. Coalition naval forces were reported to have responded and were present at the scene shortly after the incident.
All 24 crew members onboard were confirmed safe. The crew includes six South Korean nationals and 18 seafarers of other nationalities. No pollution or environmental damage has been reported.
The incident follows warnings issued over the weekend to vessels anchored off Ras Al-Khaimah to vacate their positions amid heightened tensions.
The attack comes against the backdrop of Iran’s announcement on 4 May establishing a new maritime control zone in the Strait of Hormuz. The zone extends south of the line between Mount Mubarak in Iran and Fujairah in the UAE, and westward between Qeshm Island and Umm Al Quwain.
This marks the third reported attack on commercial shipping in just over 24 hours. On 3 May, a tanker was struck by suspected drones approximately 78 nautical miles north of Fujairah at 19:40 UTC. Earlier the same day, a bulk carrier was reportedly attacked by multiple small vessels around 11 nautical miles west of Sirik, Iran, while transiting northbound toward the Strait of Hormuz.
The series of incidents underscores growing risks to commercial shipping in one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints, as regional tensions continue to escalate.