On Sunday, Iran hit another tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, extending a fast-paced run of attacks on the “shuttle” shipping trade between Gulf oil producers and the STS transfer zone in the Gulf of Oman.
Vanguard Tech has identified the latest tanker hit as the Lipsi, a brand new LR2 linked to a Greek operator and a Chinese owner. Industry media sources have reported that the vessel sustained engine room damage.
Over the past week, the pace of successful Iranian strikes has approached a rate of nearly one tanker per day, following weeks of relative security. The attacks put pressure on the steady flow of tanker traffic through the waterway, which had recently rebounded to more than 12 million barrels per day – enough to restore total Gulf export volume to nearly prewar levels.
I wonder if the reason why so many tankers have been able to pass through the strait lately is because Iran allowed them to do so, in futile hope of a diplomatic breakthrough on the sidelines of the UN.
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