US Navy warns ships to avoid nonessential Hormuz transits

The US military on Wednesday, October 28, told commercial vessels with no need to sail between the Gulf of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz to stay away. The warning came as attacks on shipping in the waterway reached their highest level of the war. "Due to the current geopolitical situation, vessels which do not need to transit the area are advised to remain well clear to avoid unnecessary delays to their voyage," US Naval Forces Central Command said in a notice issued through the Joint Maritime Information Center, Bloomberg reported.bloomberg.com

The advisory, designated JMIC 016-26, covers the Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz, the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, and sets the regional threat level at "severe," Gulf News reported.gulfnews.com

Neutral ships face checks

Under the notice, neutral vessels carrying neutral cargo, or sailing in ballast between neutral ports, may be questioned, visited and searched so US forces can confirm their intentions toward the blockade of Iran, according to The Straits Times. The blockade covers all Iranian ports and coastlines and applies to every vessel regardless of flag or ownership. Ships are told to keep a continuous watch on VHF Channel 16, follow directions from US forces, and be ready to stop dead in the water. They must also have documents such as customs clearance and bills of lading ready for inspection, Gulf News reported. The notice also advises ships to "plan additional transit time to allow for increased traffic density and military blockade enforcement operations."straitstimes.com+1

It is not clear what prompted the warning. The US military last issued a similar public notice in mid-July, when the blockade of Iranian shipping began. At that time it said neutral passage would not be impeded, The Straits Times reported. Central Command did not immediately respond to requests for comment.straitstimes.com

Attacks rise as traffic recovers

Oil flows out of the Persian Gulf have climbed back toward prewar levels, helped by shuttle tankers that move cargoes to ships waiting in the Gulf of Oman. Over the same period, the blockade has pushed Iranian crude exports close to zero. Iran, meanwhile, has carried out almost 30 attacks on ships in October, a wartime high, according to Bloomberg. Data from a Washington-based think tank show October has been the worst month for attacks on commercial shipping in and around the strait since it began tracking incidents in 2017, MarineLink reported.marinelink.com+1

Brent crude rose last week to its highest level since April after a wave of Iranian attacks on tankers. Prices eased on Tuesday as Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan held talks with Iranian officials in Tehran, The Business Standard reported. UBS expects Brent to stay near $110 a barrel through the end of the year. The bank warned that shipping risks could become more acute "if US naval support wavers," MarineLink reported.tbsnews.net+1