On July 20, Greek shipping firm Dynacom Tankers reported that two of its vessels were struck by projectiles while navigating off the coast of Oman. The escalation of tensions between the U.S. and Iran has raised concerns for commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, as Iranian forces actively target vessels amid increasing U.S. port blockades. The Malta-flagged tanker, Kavomaleas, was hit by two projectiles, igniting a fire in its engine room and necessitating immediate evacuation of the crew. All crew members were safely recovered by Omani authorities.
In a related incident, another Dynacom vessel, the Liberian-flagged Acheloos, was also hit by a projectile on the same day. Both vessels were reported to be in transit via a U.S.-facilitated southern corridor in the Strait of Hormuz. Despite the attacks, both ships reported their crew members were safe and accounted for, and there have been no reports of environmental pollution from the incidents.
Further complicating the situation, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards claimed that two oil tankers exploded in the vicinity after taking what they deemed an unsafe route through the strait. It remains unclear if these incidents were connected to the attacks on Dynacom’s vessels. Meanwhile, a third tanker managed by Dynacom was struck by a drone at Russia’s Novorossiysk terminal, but the crew successfully extinguished the fire, and there were no reports of pollution from that incident either.
