Two large crude oil tankers belonging to Saudi Arabia and South Korea have been struck by projectile attacks in the Strait of Hormuz, the most critical chokepoint for maritime shipping in the Middle East. The reignition of attacks in this strategic maritime corridor has sparked a sharp surge in global oil prices.
Sea-news.az reports this, citing Bloomberg and maritime risk assessment firm Marisks, noting that the attacks occurred while both tankers were attempting to exit the Persian Gulf.
A very large crude carrier (VLCC) belonging to the Bahri shipping company was struck 17 nautical miles northeast of the port of Khasab, Oman.A tanker operated by the Sinokor Group took three projectile hits while navigating along the eastern coast of Oman. According to Marisks, both tankers were operating with their AIS (Automatic Identification System) transponders turned off in an attempt to obscure their positions for security reasons.
Maritime transport, which had recovered to approximately half of its pre-war volume, is once again facing severe threats following these incidents. Immediately following news of the attacks, November Brent crude futures on London’s ICE exchange surpassed $92 per barrel for the first time since August 25 of this year.
