October sees record surge in ship attacks in Strait of Hormuz

October has recorded the highest number of attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waterways, according to data from the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, which has tracked maritime security incidents worldwide since 2017.

Senior researcher at the institute, Noam Raydan, who maintains its interactive map of maritime incidents, said, “October has seen the highest number of ship attacks ever,” noting that she documented 28 confirmed and reported attacks this month, and 113 since the outbreak of the US-Iran conflict on February 28. Most attacks in September and October occurred within the strait.

These figures largely align with data from the International Maritime Organization, which recorded 120 incidents in the Strait of Hormuz and the Middle East region since the conflict began. More than 30 very large crude carriers were damaged, including 11 in October alone, according to a Reuters review of the organization’s list and MarineTraffic data.

Each of these giant tankers can carry about two million barrels of crude oil. The affected vessels account for around 3.5% of the global fleet of this class, which numbers over 900 tankers.

Reuters attributed the rise in tanker attacks to increased willingness by shipowners to load cargoes inside the Gulf, as daily shipping rates have surpassed $1 million and regional producers are offering larger discounts compared to Brent crude.

Greek maritime consultancy Marisecs confirmed that October has become the most intense period for maritime attacks in the Strait of Hormuz and its vicinity since hostilities escalated, noting that 12 ships were targeted between October 5 and 11, the highest weekly figure since the conflict began.

Raydan believes Iran is intensifying attacks to slow the recovery of shipments and maintain pressure on global energy markets ahead of the US midterm elections in November, echoing comments Reuters reported earlier this month from two senior Iranian officials.

Meanwhile, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), which recorded 135 incidents linked to the US-Iran conflict as of October 16, acknowledged the difficulty of getting a complete picture due to limited voluntary reporting from shipping companies. Its data showed a sharp rise in ship damage this month.