Ship attacks in Strait of Hormuz hit record high in October
USO•At least 28 confirmed and reported ship attacks occurred in the Strait of Hormuz and nearby waterways in October, the highest monthly tally on record. More than 30 supertankers have been damaged since the conflict began, including 11 in October, representing about 3.5% of the global fleet.
1. Record attacks in October
A Washington-based think tank recorded 28 confirmed and reported attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waterways in October, the highest monthly number since it began tracking incidents in 2017. It recorded 113 attacks since the conflict with Iran began on February 28.
2. Supertankers damaged
The International Maritime Organization recorded 120 incidents in the Strait of Hormuz and the wider Middle East since the conflict began. Its list includes more than 30 damaged very large crude carriers, including 11 in October; those vessels represent about 3.5% of the global fleet of more than 900.
3. Reporting gaps remain
A dozen ships were attacked between October 5 and October 11, the highest weekly tally since the conflict began. UKMTO said insufficient voluntary reporting by shippers made it difficult to capture all incidents, and its data showed a sharp rise in ship damage caused by attacks in October.
