Stena Bulk says it has had contact with crew of seized tanker

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – Stena Bulk, the Swedish-based operator of a British-flagged tanker seized last week by Iran, has been in contact by telephone with the 23 crew members of the vessel, Stena Impero, a spokesman for the operator said on Wednesday.

“We had direct contact with the crew on board the vessel last night by telephone and they’re all okay and in good health and they’re getting good cooperation with the Iranians on board the vessel,” spokesman Pat Adamson said.

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Source: reuters.com

Iran tanker seizure: Hunt seeks European help on Gulf shipping

The foreign secretary has repeated his call for the release of a British-flagged ship and its crew detained in the Gulf by the Iranian military.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard captured the Stena Impero and its 23 crew members in the Gulf on Friday.

Jeremy Hunt told MPs it was an act of “state piracy”.

Mr Hunt said the UK would develop a maritime protection mission with other European nations to allow ships to pass through the area safely.

The foreign secretary secured support for the initiative from both French and German foreign ministers on the phone on Sunday evening, the BBC has been told.

Addressing the Commons after a meeting of the government’s emergency Cobra committee, Mr Hunt said he spoke with a “heavy heart” but if Iran continued to act as it had, it would have to accept a “larger Western military presence” along its coastline.

The seizure of the Stena Impero in the key shipping route of the Strait of Hormuz came after Tehran said the vessel violated international maritime rules.

Iran’s state-run news agency said the tanker was captured after it collided with a fishing boat and failed to respond to calls from the smaller craft.

Mr Hunt said the ship was illegally seized in Omani waters and forced to sail into Bandar Abbas port in Iran, where it remains.

Although the crew and owners are not British, the Stena Impero carries the British flag so the UK owes protection to the vessel, maritime analysts said.

The seizure was the latest in a string of acts leading to escalating tensions between Iran and the UK and US.

Earlier this month Royal Marines helped to seize tanker Grace 1 off Gibraltar, because of evidence it was carrying Iranian oil to Syria in breach of EU sanctions.

Mr Hunt said that vessel was detained legally, but Iran said it was “piracy” and threatened to seize a British oil tanker in retaliation.

In a statement to MPs in the Commons, Mr Hunt said the UK would seek to create a European-led mission to ensure safe passage of international vessels in the Gulf.

“Freedom of navigation is a vital interest of every nation,” he said.

US Central Command said it was developing a multinational maritime effort in response to the situation.

But the UK’s protection mission would not include the US because, Mr Hunt insisted, Britain was not part of President Trump’s policy of “maximum pressure” on Tehran.

The initiative would build on existing structures in the region such as the US Navy-led Combined Task Force 150, the BBC has learned.

Instead of focusing on tackling terrorism and the illegal drugs trade like the Combined Task Force 150, the new scheme would have a mandate to ensure freedom of navigation of international ships, the Foreign Office explained.

The mission would be implemented “as quickly as possible” but in the meantime the destroyer HMS Duncan has been sent to help keep British ships and crews safe in the region, Mr Hunt told the Commons.

Mr Hunt said the UK had sought to de-escalate the situation but there would be “no compromise” on freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

Bob Sanguinetti, CEO of the UK Chamber of Shipping, welcomed the announcement of the mission but said it was “imperative” the government protected British-flagged ships in the Gulf in the meantime.

Mr Hunt encouraged commercial shipping companies in the region to follow advice issued by the Department for Transport to help reduce “risks of piracy”, because it was “not possible for the Royal Navy to provide escorts for every single ship”.

Source: bbc.co.uk

Maritime security in the Gulf: UK government response

Stena Impero seized in the Strait of Hormuz

On 19 July Iranian authorities seized the British-flagged vessel, Stena Impero, in Omani waters in clear contravention of international law. Following a ministerial COBR meeting on 20 July, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt gave astatement on iranian actions in the Strait of Hormuz.

The UK Mission to the United Nations in New York, on behalf of the UK government, sent a letter to the President of the United Nations Security Council setting out the facts about the incident.

On 21 July the Foreign Secretary called the French and German foreign ministers. Both agreed with the Foreign Secretary that safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz is a top priority for European nations, while avoiding escalation in the region.

Grace 1 detained off the coast of Gibraltar

On 4 July the Iranian oil tanker Grace 1 was detained during a a government of Gibraltar-led operation to uphold EU sanctions on Syria. The Foreign Secretary spoke with the Chief Minister of Gibraltar and with the Iranian Foreign Minister about the Grace 1 tanker.

On 15 July the Foreign Secretary attended the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels. Before his visit, he gave a statement on Iran’s compliance with the nuclear deal and also commented on the detention of the Grace 1 and the rights of commercial ships in the Gulf.

Tankers attacked in the Gulf of Oman

The UK government is almost certain that a branch of the Iranian military attacked 2 tankers on 13 June. The Foreign Secretary condemned the attacks on civilian shipping, and called on Iran to cease all forms of destabilising activity. Read the UK statement on the attacks in the Gulf of Oman.

Source: gov.uk

Commercial ships warned against using private armed security in the Gulf

Shipping associations issue advice after a series of attacks blamed on Iran

Shipping companies sailing through the Arabian Gulf are being urged to avoid having private armed security guards on board as the risk of escalation in the region rises.

Relations between Iran and the West have become increasingly strained after Britain seized an Iranian tanker in Gibraltar last week and London said its warship HMS Montrose had to fend off Iranian vessels seeking to block a British-owned tanker from passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

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Source: thenational.ae

Threat level raised to ‘critical’ for UK ships in Iranian waters

The UK has raised the threat to British shipping in Iranian waters in the Gulf to the highest level – where the risk of attack is “critical”.

The step was taken on Tuesday, amid growing tensions in the region.

On Wednesday, Iranian boats tried to impede a British oil tanker in the region – before being driven off by a Royal Navy ship, the MoD said.

Iran had threatened to retaliate for the seizure of one of its own tankers, but denied any attempted seizure.

The Department for Transport said it regularly provided security advice to UK ships in high-risk areas.

The threat level means British ships are advised not to enter Iranian waters, BBC defence correspondent Jonathan Beale said.

Boats believed to belong to Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) approached the British Heritage tanker and tried to bring it to a halt as it was moving out of the Gulf into the Strait of Hormuz.

HMS Montrose, a British frigate shadowing the BP-owned tanker, was forced to move between the three boats and the ship, a Ministry of Defence spokesman said.

He described the Iranians’ actions as “contrary to international law”.

Guns on HMS Montrose were trained on the Iranian boats as they were ordered to back off, US media reported. The boats heeded the warning and no shots were fired.

Last week, British Royal Marines helped the authorities in Gibraltar seize an Iranian tanker because of evidence it was carrying oil to Syria in breach of EU sanctions.

A spokesman for the Royal Gibraltar Police said they had arrested the captain and chief officer of the Iranian tanker on Thursday, on suspicion of breaching EU sanctions, but neither had been charged.

The BBC has been told British Heritage was near the island of Abu Musa when it was approached by the Iranian boats.

Although Abu Musa is in disputed territorial waters, HMS Montrose remained in international waters throughout.

Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt said the government was concerned by the incident and urged the Iranian authorities to “de-escalate the situation”.

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt added the UK would monitor the situation “very carefully”.

Prime Minister Theresa May’s official spokesman said the government was “committed to maintaining freedom of navigation in accordance with international law”.

A spokesperson for the US State Department condemned Iran’s actions and said that Washington would continue to work closely with the UK.

Morgan Ortagus said: “We commend the actions of the Royal Navy in ensuring freedom of navigation and the free flow of commerce through this critically important waterway.”

Commander of the US Fifth Fleet Vice Adm Jim Malloy described the incident as “unlawful harassment” and said the fleet would continue to work closely with the Royal Navy to defend “the free flow of commerce”.

What does Iran say?

The navy of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps has denied claims it tried to seize the tanker, Iranian news agencies reported. IRGC’s navy said there had been no confrontation with any foreign vessels in the past 24 hours.

Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said the UK made the claims “for creating tension”.

“These claims have no value,” Mr Zarif added, according to the Fars news agency.

Why are UK-Iran tensions escalating?

The relationship between the UK and Iran has become increasingly strained, after Britain said the Iranian regime was “almost certainly” responsible for the attacks on two oil tankers in June.

Tensions grew after the seizure of an Iranian oil tanker by authorities in Gibraltar, assisted by British Royal Marines.

On Thursday an Iranian official told the BBC the seizure was “unnecessary and non-constructive escalation by the UK” and called for the tanker, Grace 1, to be released.

An Iranian official previously said a British oil tanker should be seized if Grace 1 was not released.

On Wednesday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani called the UK “scared” and “hopeless” for using Royal Navy warships to shadow another British tanker in the Gulf.

“You, Britain, are the initiator of insecurity and you will realise the consequences later,” Mr Rouhani said.

The Royal Navy has a frigate, four minehunters and a Royal Fleet Auxiliary support ship already stationed in a permanent Naval Support Facility in the region, at Mina Salman in Bahrain.

This is enough to provide reassurance, but probably not to deal with a crisis, BBC defence correspondent Jonathan Beale said.

Ministers would now have to consider sending another Royal Navy ship to the region – but this could further escalate tensions with Iran, our correspondent said.

Foreign Office officials said they were keeping the UK’s military posture in the region under constant review but insisted they did not want to see tensions escalate.

Source: bbc.co.uk

Iranian boats ‘tried to intercept British tanker’

Iranian boats tried to impede a British oil tanker near the Gulf – before being driven off by a Royal Navy ship, the Ministry of Defence has said.

HMS Montrose moved between the three boats and the tanker British Heritage before issuing verbal warnings to the Iranian vessels, a spokesman said.

He described the Iranians’ actions as “contrary to international law”.

Iran had threatened to retaliate for the seizure of one of its own tankers, but denied any attempted seizure.

Guns on HMS Montrose, the British frigate escorting the tanker, were reportedly trained on the Iranian boats as they were ordered to back off. They heeded the warning and no shots were fired.

The BBC has been told British Heritage was near the island of Abu Musa when it was approached and harassed by the Iranian boats.

Although the island is in disputed territorial waters, HMS Montrose remained in international waters throughout.

A UK government spokesman said: “Contrary to international law, three Iranian vessels attempted to impede the passage of a commercial vessel, British Heritage, through the Strait of Hormuz.

“We are concerned by this action and continue to urge the Iranian authorities to de-escalate the situation in the region.”

What does Iran say?

Quoting the public relations office of the IRGC’s Navy, the Fars news agency said, in a tweet, the IRGC “denies claims by American sources” that it tried to seize British Heritage.

“There has been no confrontation in the last 24 hours with any foreign vessels, including British ones,” the IRGC added, according to the AFP news agency.

Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said the UK made the claims “for creating tension”.

“These claims have no value,” Mr Zarif added, according to Fars.

Why are UK-Iran tensions escalating?

The relationship between the UK and Iran has become increasingly strained, after Britain said the Iranian regime was “almost certainly” responsible for the attacks on two oil tankers in June.

Last week, British Royal Marines helped the authorities in Gibraltar seize an Iranian oil tanker because of evidence it was heading to Syria in breach of EU sanctions.

In response, an Iranian official said a British oil tanker should be seized if its detained ship was not released.

Iran also summoned the British ambassador in Tehran to complain about what it said was a “form of piracy”.

On Wednesday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani mocked the UK, calling it “scared” and “hopeless” for using Royal Navy warships to shadow a British tanker in the Gulf.

HMS Montrose had shadowed British tanker the Pacific Voyager for some of the way through the Strait of Hormuz, but that journey had passed without incident.

“You, Britain, are the initiator of insecurity and you will realise the consequences later,” Mr Rouhani said.

The UK has also been pressing Iran to release British-Iranian mother Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe who was jailed for five years in 2016 after being convicted for spying, which she denies.

Source: bbc.co.uk

Naval service specialists deliver training to Kenyan forces

Royal Marines and Royal Navy specialists have been showing Kenyan security forces how to improve their ability to fight piracy, illegal fishing and drugs trafficking.

Specialists from 1 Assault Group Royal Marines’ Board and Search School and landing craftsmen from 43 Commando Fleet Protection Group travelled to Mombasa – Kenya’s second-largest city and one of Africa’s biggest trading hubs – to deliver training and share expertise.

The contingent, made up of Royal Marines and Royal Navy ranks, were part of the Tri-Service British Peace Support Team, an organisation that aims to aid United Nations and African Union Peace Support Operations.

The training group sought to understand the current situation that is impacting Kenya’s economy and create a coherent strategy for the future as they look to shore up security in the Indian Ocean port.

The training aimed to help Kenyan security forces become better equipped to deal with the threats they face and develop a clear plan to continue protecting their waters.

The majority of Kenyan trade comes through Mombasa and shutting down criminal activity is a priority for the country’s security forces.

Around 30 personnel from a variety of Kenyan agencies came to train and learn how to conduct successful board and search of suspicious vessels.

The first part of the training consisted of classroom-based sessions on board and search operations at sea, before phase two saw coastguard, police and port authority teams work together to practise their new skills in the water.

The training included an opening and closing ceremony attended by high ranking dignitaries, which included a demonstration of the skills learned during the sessions.

A further training package is now being arranged later this year.

Source: royalnavy.mod.uk

Combined Task Force 150 Seizes 4,085 Kg of Illegal Narcotics in 24 Hours

Over a 24 hour period, Combined Task Force (CTF) 150 seized 4,085 kg of illegally smuggled hashish from two separate boarding operations by warships operating in the region.

On 27th February, 2019, Royal Navy warship, HMS Dragon, found a dhow off the coast of Oman in the Northern Arabian Sea which they assessed to be suspicious. HMS Dragon’s boarding team conducted a search of the vessel which resulted in a successful seizure of 100 bags of hashish, totaling in 2,040 kg.

The next day, on 28th February, Royal Australian Navy warship, HMAS Ballarat, also sailing off the coast of Oman, conducted a similar operation. A boarding and search operation of the dhow resulted in 2,045.60 kg of hashish.

In reaction to the drug seizures, Commodore Darren Garnier, Royal Canadian Navy, Commander CTF 150 said: “HMS Dragon and HMAS Ballarat have been instrumental in reducing the use of the high seas as a venue for illegal activities. These two very capable warships and their ships’ companies have each conducted six seizures to date, ensuring the funding of illegal narcotics is staying out of the hands of potential terrorist organizations. Bravo Zulu HMS Dragon and HMAS Ballarat for your continued support to CTF 150 operations.”

Combined Maritime Forces has three principle task forces: Combined Task Force (CTF) 150, which conducts counter-terrorism and maritime security operations; CTF 151, which conducts counter-piracy operations; and CTF 152, which conducts maritime security operations in the Middle East.

Captain Leif Maxfield, Deputy Commander CTF 150 added: “I am extremely proud of the hard work and meaningful interoperability between the international ships under our command and our CTF 150 Battle Watch. Our successes demonstrate the value the Combined Maritime Forces coalition brings to the table in improving maritime security in the area of operations.”

The Canadian-led CTF 150 Task Force, supported by the Royal Australian Navy, has now directed and overseen fifteen successful illegal narcotic interceptions in an area known as the ‘hash highway’. Since taking command on 6th December, 2018, the Task Force has now seized and destroyed over 28,000 kg of illegal narcotics.

The Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) is a multinational task force currently comprised of 33 nations. CMF operates three Combined Task Forces (CTFs) in order to conduct Maritime Security Operations. CTF 150 responsible for maritime security and counter terrorism operations. CTF 151 responsible for counter piracy operations. CTF 152 responsible for maritime security and counter terrorism with the Gulf.

Source: combinedmaritimeforces.com