Full story
Hui Chuan seized
A vessel described as a “floating armoury” was seized by Iranian military personnel in the Gulf of Oman, and the ship was reported to be “bound for Iranian territorial waters,” according to the maritime risk management company Vanguard and the UK’s Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).
“bound for Iranian territorial waters”
The BBC said it checked ship-tracking data from MarineTraffic showing the Honduras-flagged Hui Chuan last broadcast its location 70km (40 miles) north-east of Fujairah in the UAE on Wednesday.
The Maritime Executive reported the vessel was boarded by unauthorized personnel while anchored about 38 nm to the northeast of Fujairah, towards the eastern entrance to the Strait of Hormuz, then diverted into Iranian territorial waters.
Fox News reported UKMTO said the ship was “taken by unauthorized personnel” while roughly 38 nautical miles northeast of the UAE’s oil export terminal Fujairah, and that UKMTO spotted it heading toward Iranian territorial waters after the seizure.
Trump-Xi and the Haji Ali
The BBC linked the seizure to the wider Strait of Hormuz situation, saying the apparent seizure of Hui Chuan came after an Indian-flagged vessel was attacked off the coast of Oman on Wednesday, according to Indian officials.
The BBC reported the Haji Ali “reportedly sank” off the coast of Oman following a suspected explosion believed to have been caused by a “drone or missile,” and said Indian authorities stated: “All Indian crew on board are safe and we thank the Omani authorities for rescuing them.”
In Beijing, the BBC said the situation in the Strait of Hormuz was discussed during talks on Thursday between US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart President Xi Jinping, and the White House said Xi had “made clear China's opposition to the militarization of the Strait.”
The Australian said the seized ship was described as a ‘floating armoury,’ was boarded and was being taken toward Iranian waters, while another ship was sunk in the Strait of Hormuz.
What’s at stake
The BBC said Hui Chuan’s operators told Vanguard it was operating as a floating armoury which stores weapons for security firms who protect ships at sea from attack by pirates, and it added that BBC Verify could not confirm what was on the ship or who it was used by.
“must remain open to support the free flow of energy”
The Maritime Executive described floating armories as used by maritime security contractors to store arms, ammunition and personnel between embarked security missions, avoiding the need to stage weapons and people in nearby coastal states.
Fox News reported that at least two other ships have already been seized in the Strait of Hormuz since February, and that in April Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) seized the Panamanian-flagged MSC Francesca and the Epaminondes ships in the Strait.
The BBC said the apparent seizure of Hui Chuan came as the Strait of Hormuz was discussed during Trump and Xi’s talks, and it quoted the US readout saying the two sides agreed that the Strait of Hormuz “must remain open to support the free flow of energy.”
