Topic
Maritime security
Every Vessel Hunter story on Maritime security: 38 stories, from 2 July 2026 to 12 October 2026. Newest: "Two seafarers missing after drone hits Petro Dolphin off Sohar as IRGC widens threat". Each story links to the ships and ports it names, so a name in the text opens the record behind it.
Two seafarers missing after drone hits Petro Dolphin off Sohar as IRGC widens threat
Two Indian seafarers are missing after a drone hit the tanker Petro Dolphin at Sohar anchorage on 11 October, two days after the IRGC extended its threat beyond Hormuz.
Abandoned Capesize Emil drifts into Bulgarian waters two months after drone strike
The bulk carrier Emil, abandoned off Odesa after a Russian drone strike on 5 August, has drifted into Bulgaria's economic zone with no salvage under way.
Tanker Acers hit by projectiles off Qatar as Gulf attacks spread beyond Hormuz
The Antigua and Barbuda-flagged tanker Acers was hit by multiple projectiles off Qatar on 7 October, the first strike deep inside the Gulf since 9 September.
Twelve seafarers injured as LR2 tanker On Peace is hit in the Strait of Hormuz
A projectile hit the Panama-flagged LR2 On Peace in the Strait of Hormuz, injuring 12 of her 19 crew. Oman flew ten casualties to Khasab as crew hazard pay climbs.
Five Hormuz incidents in one day as the new LR2 tanker Lipsi is left drifting
UKMTO reported five incidents around Hormuz on 5 October, including an engine-room fire and an IRGC order to turn back, as the new LR2 Lipsi lay disabled.
Russia detains Estonia-bound cargo ship Västerbotten in the Gulf of Finland
Russian border guards detained the Cyprus-flagged general cargo ship Västerbotten in the Gulf of Finland on 1 October as she sailed from Sweden to Sillamäe in Estonia.
Kazimah III hit in Hormuz as tanker strikes reach six in a week and Yanbu is targeted
The Kuwaiti VLCC Kazimah III was struck in the Strait of Hormuz on 1 October, the sixth ship hit in a week, while a projectile briefly stopped tanker loading at Saudi Arabia's Yanbu.
Five crew killed on Honour 25 as Puntland forces retake hijacked tanker
Five crew of the product tanker Honour 25 were killed as Puntland forces retook the ship from Somali pirates on 29 September, while pirates holding the Eureka drove her ashore and fled.
Al Funtas and three more tankers hit in Hormuz as Gulf crude exports recover
Kuwait's VLCC Al Funtas and at least three other tankers were struck around the Strait of Hormuz in the last days of September, even as Gulf oil exports climbed back to near prewar volumes.
Iran says it will sell seized ships including MSC Francesca and Epaminondas as compensation
An Iranian judicial official says commercial ships seized in the war and linked to the US and Israel will be sold to compensate fishermen. MSC Francesca and Epaminondas are held off Bandar Abbas.
Russian cargo ship Yuriy Arshenevskiy sails from Tobruk to Turkish waters after arms delivery
The Russian-flagged Yuriy Arshenevskiy left Tobruk after a convoy delivered military vehicles to eastern Libya, passed the Dardanelles and turned for Tuzla short of the Bosporus.
Puntland forces free the tanker Sibu 1 from Somali pirates after five weeks
Puntland's navy and maritime police have freed the product tanker Sibu 1, seized off Yemen on 20 August, and arrested the pirates. Three hijacked ships remain off Somalia.
Seafarer killed as capesize Cape Dao is struck and left adrift in Hormuz
A 26-year-old Indian wiper was killed when two projectiles hit the capesize Cape Dao off Oman's Musandam peninsula on 23 September, setting her engine room on fire and leaving her adrift.
Crew of LNG Carrier Vivit Africa Report Cyberattack on Cargo Safety Systems
The crew of the Liberia-flagged Vivit Africa LNG say attackers took temporary control of steam pressure and safety valve systems, and the ship left the Adriatic without discharging its US cargo.
Coast Guard and FBI Boarded a VLCC Off Texas Over a Cyberattack
A Coast Guard cyber team and the FBI boarded the 319,547 dwt VL Prosperity off Texas after indications that her networks had been compromised, in an investigation covering at least two US-bound tankers.
Master Killed in Black Sea Drone Attack as Turkey Circulates Truce Text
A drone strike on a Ukraine-bound Tanzanian-flagged cargo ship killed the master and injured three crew, days after Turkey handed Russia and Ukraine a draft memorandum on ending attacks on merchant shipping.
El Gaia Crew Taken Off Disabled Tanker, Two Still Missing
Oman took 23 crew off the Panama-flagged product tanker El Gaia and is towing her in, while Iran calls the casualty a sea mine and US Central Command calls it a second strike on an already-disabled ship.
Oman Calls Off Salalah Conference on a New Strait of Hormuz Transit Corridor
Oman has cancelled the Salalah conference at which it was to present a draft Strait of Hormuz transit corridor agreed with Iran, after Gulf states declined to take part.
Three Ships With Indian Crews Struck in Two Days Near the Strait of Hormuz
An LPG carrier and two crude tankers carrying Indian crew were hit on 8 and 9 September; all those on board survived, but 173 Indian seafarers remain on ships west of the Strait of Hormuz.
Somali Pirates Release the Sward and Its 17 Crew After a Ransom Payment
The general cargo ship Sward has been released near Garacad with all 17 crew after almost five months in pirate hands, leaving four commercial vessels still held off Somalia.
Gulf Crude Exports Pass 10m Barrels a Day on Facilitated Hormuz Transits
Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is running at about 20% of its pre-conflict norm, yet Gulf crude exports have passed 10m barrels a day and VLCC rates have reached a record.
Houthis Seize Mokha, Closing on the Bab el-Mandeb Strait
Houthi forces have taken the Red Sea port of Mokha, putting them roughly 80 km from the Bab el-Mandeb and in reach of the strait's Yemeni shoreline.
MSC Cruises cancels the Armonia repositioning voyage to South Africa
MSC Cruises has cancelled MSC Armonia's 26-night repositioning voyage to Durban, saying it cannot guarantee safe transit of the Suez Canal and the Red Sea.
Drone strike damages Suezmax tanker Siren in the Black Sea
The Liberia-flagged crude carrier Siren was struck by drones overnight while crossing the Black Sea, damaging her accommodation block without injuries or an oil spill.
QatarEnergy Sends an LNG Carrier Through Hormuz With Its AIS Switched On
QatarEnergy has moved the LNG carrier Al Marrouna through the Strait of Hormuz with AIS transmitting, breaking with the dark-mode navigation adopted by much of the commercial traffic there.
Sanctioned Russian Roro Lady Mariia Reported Struck by Drones off Crete
The sanctioned Russian roro Lady Mariia was reportedly hit by drone-dropped munitions near Crete while heading east towards Syria. Neither side has confirmed the strike.
Puntland Disputes Mogadishu's Account of How the Cargo Ship Lutuf Was Freed
The Federal Government of Somalia says Turkish and Somali forces freed the MV Lutuf after a ten-day pursuit, while Puntland's security ministry says no rescue took place and a ransom was paid.
IMO Says 400 Ships and 6,000 Seafarers Still Cannot Leave the Persian Gulf
Washington says the mines are cleared and the transit routes are open; tracking data shows a trickle of ships out and very few going back in.
Yemeni Forces Destroy Houthi Drone Boat Outpost on the Red Sea Coast
The same class of craft was used against the bulk carriers Transworld Navigator and Tutor in June 2024, one of which sank with the loss of a crew member.
US and Iran Trade Fire as Third Tanker Is Hit in Strait of Hormuz
American forces struck Iranian launchers on Larak Island and Tehran retaliated with missiles and drones, ending a month-long lull as a third tanker in a week was hit near Hormuz.
IMO Says 400 Ships and 6,000 Seafarers Still Cannot Leave the Gulf
The IMO says up to 400 ships carrying around 6,000 seafarers have been unable to leave the Persian Gulf safely since the conflict began.
Romania Rescues 12 Crew from Cargo Ship Suspected of Being Attacked
Romanian rescue services took 12 seafarers off the 7,298-dwt Progress IV after a fire that the country's president said appeared to have followed an attack.
US Southern Command Carries Out 68th Strike on Suspected Drug Vessel
US Southern Command has conducted its 68th airstrike on a suspected drug-smuggling vessel, bringing the campaign's estimated toll to 227 deceased suspects.
Task Force Handled 25 Piracy Incidents in Six Months Off Horn of Africa
Combined Task Force 151 intervened in more than two dozen piracy incidents over six months as attacks off the Horn of Africa reached a ten-year high.
Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia Weigh Coordinated Coast Guard Patrols
The three coast guard chiefs have signed Notes of Discussion on information sharing, training and coordinated responses to cross-border threats, and are weighing coordinated patrols.
Thirteen States Complete Accession To Saudi-Led Maritime Coalition
Thirteen countries have formally joined a Saudi-led multinational maritime defence coalition after completing national procedures and signing its charter, while fifteen states have signed the initiative's joint statement.
Cargo vessel attacked in Red Sea off Yemen
A cargo vessel came under attack in the Red Sea off Yemen on Sunday, a reminder that the region's maritime security crisis is far from resolved. UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said it received a distress alert fro…
Somalia joins 15 maritime conventions
Somalia has acceded to 15 international maritime conventions in a push to tighten its legal framework across ship safety, navigation, pollution response and maritime security.
Never miss a move
Maritime, in motion. In your inbox.
The vessel sales, incidents, and market moves worth knowing, sent as they happen.