A tanker carrying around two million barrels of Iraqi fuel oil was hit by a drone in Iraqi territorial waters on Wednesday, adding to a growing series of attacks affecting commercial shipping in the Gulf.
The Panama-flagged New Andros caught fire after being struck at around 6am local time, according to Iraqi port officials cited by Reuters.
None of the vessel’s 22 crew members was reported injured.
The UK’s Maritime Trade Operations agency also reported that several merchant vessels in the northern Gulf and Gulf of Oman had been hit by disabling fire during overnight military activity.
A separate incident was reported near Port Rashid in the UAE, where a vessel was seen listing while anchored. The cause had not been established.
The incidents underline the increasing risks facing commercial shipping as the conflict involving Iran and the United States spreads across regional maritime routes.
For Gulf economies that depend heavily on energy exports and imported goods, prolonged disruption could translate into higher freight, insurance and logistics costs.
