Ser ut til at det begynner å spisse seg til rundt omkring ifob med transport av olje…
Iran has seized two Greek oil tankers in one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes in apparent retaliation for the capture of a Russian-flagged tanker loaded with Iranian oil last month. Iranian forces boarded the Prudent Warrior, a Greek-owned vessel, on Friday afternoon, in the Strait of Hormuz using a helicopter and a pair of speedboats in each case, according to the manager of one of the ships. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards confirmed in a statement that its “naval forces seized the two Greek tankers in the Gulf waters today due to their violations [of maritime rules]”. The second vessel is believed to be the Delta Poseidon.
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The seizure of two Greek-flagged tankers is likely to cause consternation in the oil market and the maritime industry, with oil prices already close to $120 a barrel. Greece is a shipping powerhouse with almost a quarter of all supertankers owned by Greek companies, according to Lloyd’s List. The confirmation of the seizure comes as talks between Tehran and global powers over Iran’s nuclear ambitions have stalled in recent months, raising tensions across the Middle East. George Vakirtzis, chief executive of Polembros Shipping, which operates the Prudent Warrior, said the ship was seized in international waters before being directed towards the Iranian coast by authorities. Vakirtzis said that his vessel was bound for the US with crude loaded at Basrah in Iraq. “We lost all communication about 2 o’clock local time and tried to talk to the vessel repeatedly with no answer. We asked other vessels in the same area to give us the position of the vessel. They told us that a helicopter and two speedboats had reached our vessel,” he told the Financial Times. “It’s a seizure and a diplomatic situation and we’re in the middle,” he added. Delta Tankers, the operator of the Delta Poseidon, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Greek foreign ministry described the seizure of the tankers as “acts of piracy”
