Crew Of Seized Tanker Confirmed Safe After Iran Diverts Vessel To Bandar Abbas

The crew of the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker Talara has been confirmed safe after the vessel was seized by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards in open Gulf waters last week.

The tanker’s manager, Columbia Shipmanagement, said on Monday that the ship is now anchored off the port of Bandar Abbas and all 21 seafarers on board have been confirmed safe.

The company reported that the captain managed to establish contact at around 1730 GMT on 16 November, informing the technical team that the crew was unharmed.

Columbia Shipmanagement added that it was coordinating with regional stakeholders to resolve the situation and secure the release of both the crew and vessel.

Contact with Talara was first lost on 14 November while it was sailing in international waters from Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates towards Singapore with a cargo of high-sulphur gasoil. The sudden disruption raised concerns after reports emerged that Iranian forces had intercepted the tanker.

Iran confirmed on Saturday through state media that the IRGC had seized the vessel, claiming there were issues with its cargo. A U.S. official and maritime security sources also said on Friday that the tanker had been diverted from its course into Iranian territorial waters.

This is the first such seizure since Israeli-U.S. strikes on Iran in June, increasing concerns about the safety of tankers travelling through the Gulf, a key route for global energy supplies.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have previously held commercial vessels in the region, often referring to issues such as suspected smuggling, technical discrepancies or legal disputes. According to MarineTraffic data, Talara last transmitted its position on 14 November before contact was lost.

Columbia Shipmanagement said it remained focused on ensuring the crew’s well-being while continuing efforts with regional partners to resolve the situation as soon as possible.

Reference: Reuters

Source: Maritime Shipping News