The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said on Friday, October 30, that a small boat approached the port side of a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz and attached two explosive devices to its hull above the waterline. The blasts sparked a fire in the engine room and temporarily disabled the tanker, but all crew members were unharmed. The vessel resumed its voyage after the fire was brought under control.

According to Reuters, the incident occurred at 22:12 GMT on Thursday, October 29, or 2:12am UAE time on Friday, about 25 nautical miles (46 kilometres) northeast of Khasab, Oman. The tanker was attacked while exiting the Strait of Hormuz and temporarily lost propulsion.

UKMTO initially reported a vessel fire of unknown cause in warning 187-26. It later updated the alert with details of the attack after receiving a verified report. The fire has been extinguished, all crew members are safe and no marine pollution has been reported. The tanker has resumed its voyage to its next port of call.

Specialist publication Seatrade Maritime, citing maritime security company Vanguard Tech, identified the damaged tanker as the Panama-flagged LOUISE 1. The vessel, with IMO number 9290323 and a carrying capacity of about 159,000 tonnes, is registered to Panama-based Aquarius Maritime Ventures. However, UKMTO has not yet disclosed the tanker’s name or specifications in its official notice.

Seatrade Maritime said the use of a small boat to attach explosives directly to the vessel’s hull marked a significant departure from many previous attacks in the Strait of Hormuz, which involved projectiles, drones or gunfire from small craft. The method may indicate a shift in tactics used to target commercial shipping, although it remains unclear which group or force was responsible.

The attack was one of several security incidents recorded in the Strait of Hormuz on October 29. In a separate warning, 186-26, UKMTO reported that another tanker had been struck by an unidentified projectile while exiting the strait. An initial report of a tanker fire north of Khasab was also revised after local authorities determined that the damaged vessel was a traditional dhow.