On 13 August 2020, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration issued a Maritime Alert regarding an ongoing threat to commercial vessels from Iranian actors in the Persian Gulf region. The alert reads as follows:
“Geographic Area: Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, Gulf of Oman, Arabian Sea, Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Indian Ocean
“The International Maritime Security Construct (IMSC) monitored the boarding of the Liberian flagged M/T WILA by Iranian forces in international waters in the Gulf of Oman near the Strait of Hormuz on August 12, 2020. Although the vessel and crew have been released, further Iranian actions against petroleum tankers cannot be discounted. U.S. commercial vessels operating in this area should review U.S. Maritime Advisory 2020-011 [available here] for amplifying information and points of contact. Any maritime industry questions regarding this alert should be directed to GMCC@uscg.mil. This Alert will automatically expire on August 20, 2020. For more information about U.S. Maritime Alerts and Advisories, including subscription details, please visit http://www.marad.dot.gov/MSCI.”
