Following news that a cargo ship was yesterday (28 April) intercepted by an Iranian Revolutionary Guard naval patrol in the Strait of Hormuz, GAC is recommending vessel owners to stay in close contact with already established security centers whilst in the area.
Even though the Strait of Hormuz is in Iranian territorial waters, "innocent passage" is applied and vessels are authorised to transit so long as they abide by all the rules of the sea, as it is an internationally recognised shipping lane.
The U.S. Navy is reported to have sent a maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft to observe and monitor the situation. No military action expected at this point.
No changes have been made to the recommendations for transiting the area in light of the incident, though vigilance and caution is advised.
GAC Dubai can assist with the embarkation and disembarkation of security guards off Dubai and Mina Saqr – for details contact GAC Dubai at shipping.dubai@gac.com / +971 4 8059363 (24x7).
For further details or information about operations in the Middle East, contact the GAC Dubai Hub Agency Centre at hub.ae@gac.com