An Iranian warship reportedly warned an Indian oil tanker attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz via the southern Oman corridor, marking a significant escalation in regional tensions. According to Fars news agency, the large Iranian warship intercepted the Indian-flagged oil tanker HAANA as it attempted to pass through the southern route of the Strait of Hormuz, also known as the Oman corridor. The tanker was reportedly deterred from continuing after receiving a warning from the Iranian warship, as reported by Fars. The report added that no vessel traffic had been observed on the southern route of the Strait of Hormuz in the preceding 24 hours, highlighting the current state of heightened security measures in the strategically vital waterway.
Iran announced on Sunday a blacklist of 45 ships it said had broken its rules for crossing the Strait of Hormuz, with Tehran threatening action against any vessels transferring loads with them. According to reports from Business Standard and The Hindu BusinessLine, the named vessels could be fined, detained and have their cargoes confiscated, according to a post on X from the Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA), a new body set up by Iran to manage the strait. At least three Indian oil refiners and a global energy major plan to stop using vessels on Iran's new blacklist, including for ship-to-ship transfers, due to security concerns. As reported by The Hindu BusinessLine, four sources with direct knowledge of the matter confirmed that Indian refiners are taking compliance measures to avoid non-compliant vessels for Middle Eastern cargoes.
Among the 45 non-compliant vessels listed by Iran's PGSA, two Indian ships have been identified - the LNG tanker Disha and bulk carrier Maha Roos. According to shipping databases, Disha is owned by the India LNG Transport Company No.1, a joint venture between state-owned Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) and foreign shipping companies, and is chartered on a long-term basis by Petronet LNG, India's largest LNG importer. The vessel is currently stationed off the coast of Gujarat. Maha Roos, owned by Pune-based BG Shirke Construction Technology, is managed by Mumbai-based Five Stars Shipping and was anchored off the Brazilian coast in South America as of Tuesday afternoon. Requests for comments to Petronet LNG, SCI, BG Shirke Construction Technology, and Five Stars Shipping didn't elicit any response. As reported by The Hindu BusinessLine, two of the 12 very large crude carriers on Iran's blacklist were no longer giving their location through their automatic identification systems by Tuesday after the list was released, while the rest have had their AIS transponders switched off for weeks.
Iran and Oman have agreed to work on a temporary maritime corridor through the Strait of Hormuz and a joint mine-clearing operation, though Tehran has made clear that this does not constitute a reopening of the waterway. According to The Times of India, the arrangement allows commercial vessels to pass but excludes military ships, with Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi stating that 'According to the memorandum of understanding, no military vessels will be allowed to pass through, and only commercial vessels will be allowed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.' The corridor involves a round-trip route about seven miles wide, with ships entering the Persian Gulf using Iranian waters and exiting through Omani territorial waters. Iran and Oman are expected to negotiate a permanent navigation system within 30 to 60 days to replace the temporary arrangement. The PGSA warned that 'Vessels that, from this date onward, engage in ship-to-ship transfers, transshipment, etc., with vessels on this list will themselves be added to this list.'
The latest escalation came on 25 August when a tanker was struck by an unknown projectile near Khasab, Oman, at 1730 UTC, causing a fire that was later extinguished. According to the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) centre, all crew members were reported safe and accounted for, with no environmental impact reported. As per UKMTO Warning 121-26, this strike is part of a string of projectile attacks on commercial vessels off Oman near the Strait of Hormuz and the Musandam peninsula this year, amid the ongoing US-Iran conflict. The incident follows another tanker disabled after a projectile struck its engine room roughly nine nautical miles northeast of Ash Shishah, Oman on 24 August. UKMTO has advised vessels transiting the strait to exercise caution and report any suspicious activity to its watchkeepers, with authorities investigating the incidents. According to sources cited by Business Standard and The Hindu BusinessLine, one Indian refinery source stated: 'We will avoid our chartered vessels dealing or STS or anything to do with non-compliant ships for Middle Eastern cargoes.'
