Strait of Hormuz in Flames! Tankers Burn Following Devastating Crash

A massive blaze has erupted after two tankers collided near the entrance of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global shipping route.

The tanker collision near the Strait of Hormuz comes just a day after the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) issued warnings about electronic interference affecting vessels and navigation in the Arabian Gulf.

The five-year-old Front Eagle, 300,000 dwt. is understood to have collided with the 165,000dwt Adalynn, built in 2002 and managed by Mumbai-based Oceanpack Ship Management. Reports indicate that the collision occurred in the busy waters off the coast of Fujairah in the early hours of this morning.

Frontline, owner of the VLCC which is managed by Anglo-Eastern, has stated that all crew members aboard the vessel are safe.

“Following the incident immediate action was taken to extinguish a fire on deck of the Front Eagle. We are aware of reports of a fire onboard the Adalynn following the collision. Frontline is closely monitoring the situation and is cooperating fully with the relevant authorities as emergency response efforts continue,” Frontline said.

The extensive fire developed after the collision aboard the Adalynn which is understood to have sustained extensive structural damage. The Emirati National Guard said earlier that it had rescued 24 seafarers from the blazing tanker.

The Adalynn flies the flag of Antigua and Barbuda and is thought to be a sanctioned vessel, having previously been named by the Ukrainian Government as a ‘dark fleet’ tanker. If this proves to be correct, it will bear out the warnings from many quarters relating to substandard tankers and dark fleet operations. The vessel is listed on Equasis as owned by Global Ship Holding c/o Oceanpack Ship Management in Mumbai with name, ownership, and management changing in November last year.

Relevant authorities in the region, including the UAE Coast Guard, Fujairah and Khor Fakkan port authorities are monitoring the situation prior to a full investigation in due course.

Frontline has described the collision as ‘navigational’ and not related to hostilities in the region. However, that raises the issue of whether ‘electronic interference’ could have been a causal factor.