US-Iran Clash Escalates Again... South Korean Shipping Company's Vessel Attacked in Hormuz Strait

As military clashes between the United States and Iran intensify once again, it has been reported that a vessel operated by a South Korean shipping company was attacked while exiting the Strait of Hormuz. Concerns about disruptions to crude oil supply are escalating once more, as the U.S. military has launched retaliatory airstrikes.

Reuters Yonhap News

On September 1 (local time), maritime security consulting firm Marisks stated that the vessels 'Sidra' and 'Senegal Prosperity' were struck by unidentified projectiles during the night of August 31 in waters near Khasab, Oman. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), which is part of the British Royal Navy, also reported that an incident occurred on the same day in the same area. They added that there have been no reports of casualties or environmental damage.

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), citing the safety certification agency Bureau Veritas, reported that the Liberia-flagged 'Senegal Prosperity' is managed by an affiliate of Sinokor Maritime, a South Korean shipping company. Sinokor Maritime is the tanker business unit of Sinokor Merchant Marine. The Saudi-flagged 'Sidra' is owned and operated by the Saudi shipping company Bahri.

It remains unclear whether this attack was definitively perpetrated by Iran. However, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced via X (formerly Twitter) on the same day, "Starting at noon, the U.S. military launched strikes on Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targets inside Iran." It added that "This strike is in response to recent attempts by the IRGC to attack commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz and deployed U.S. forces in the region."

Amid the increasing military conflict between the United States and Iran, the number of vessels passing through the region has also dropped significantly. According to provisional data from shipping intelligence firm Kpler, only nine bulk carriers passed through the Strait of Hormuz on August 31. In comparison, the WSJ reported that, following the preliminary peace agreement between the U.S. and Iran at the end of June, an average of 31 vessels passed through per day, and before the outbreak of hostilities, the daily average for the preceding ten days was 99 vessels.

Marisks explained that the threat level faced by commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz is high and is becoming increasingly unpredictable. The company is advising vessels to postpone non-essential passages through the strait until the scope of the U.S. strikes and Iran’s potential response become clearer.

Dimitris Maniatis, founder and CEO of Marisks, told The New York Times (NYT) that Iran does not attack ships at random in the Persian Gulf, but instead selects its targets based on their associations with the United States and its allies. On August 23, the Iranian authorities blacklisted 45 tankers, citing violations of transit regulations through the Strait of Hormuz. Among these, five vessels are connected to the Sinokor Merchant Marine group.

CEO Maniatis said, "Everyone says the situation is getting worse and deteriorating, but that’s not the case—it’s that the same events keep repeating themselves." He explained that Iran has recently reduced attacks on its neighboring Gulf countries and has instead been targeting vessels.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.