Iran-Linked Oil Tanker Targeted Near Strait of Hormuz

(Bloomberg) -- A small oil tanker, which appears to be sanctioned by the US for helping Iran export fuels, was targeted off Oman’s northern coast, the first maritime attack since war broke out in the Middle East over the weekend. 

Oman’s Maritime Security said the Skylight tanker was targeted north of Khasab port, according to a post on X. There are two vessels with the name Skylight, but only one appears off the coast of Oman. That ship was sanctioned by the US last last year for being an “enabler of Iranian petroleum exports.”

The vessel’s 20-person crew were evacuated and four people were injured, Oman said. 

It was unclear who targeted the Skylight off the Omani coast. The US Central Command didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

The reported hit on what could be a dark fleet vessel comes as ships have been largely avoiding the Strait of Hormuz that lies between Iran and Oman’s northern coast since the war in the Middle East started over the weekend.

Multiple ships reported on Saturday hearing radio broadcasts purporting to come from the Iranian navy announcing that transit through the waterway was banned. Tehran has threatened American vessels, but has not made a formal announcement around the status of the waterway or announced its closure. While traffic has dropped off sharply, there are still vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz. 

The Skylight itself is relatively small, with a size of just over 11,000 deadweight tons. The biggest crude oil tankers are more than 300,000 deadweight tons.

The Equasis maritime database says it is flagged by the Republic of Palau, which is designated as medium risk on a “black list” published by the Paris Memorandum on Port State Control, which oversees ship inspections and promotes safety.

--With assistance from Paul Burkhardt.

(Updates with request for comment, Hormuz traffic.)

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