October sees record surge in ship attacks around the Strait of Hormuz

According to a Washington Institute for Near East Policy analyst, October experienced an unprecedented wave of assaults on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, with 28 incidents recorded for the month. Since the conflict that began on February 28, the total number of attacks has reached 113, and the International Maritime Organization confirms more than 30 Very Large Crude Carriers have been damaged, including 11 this month alone—roughly 3.5% of the world’s VLCC fleet.

The surge coincides with higher freight rates that encourage carriers to load cargoes inside the Gulf. A Greek consultancy, Marisks, noted that the week of October 5-11 saw a dozen attacks, the highest weekly tally since the hostilities started. Iranian officials are reportedly using the attacks to pressure global energy markets before the upcoming U.S. midterm elections. The British maritime security service, UKMTO, warned that incomplete reporting may mean the true scale of incidents is even larger.