An outbound tanker suffered an engine-room fire and temporary disablement after a small craft attached two explosive devices to its hull in the Strait of Hormuz. The fire was extinguished and the vessel resumed its voyage.
1. Explosives attached directly to outbound tanker
• UKMTO Warning 187-26 records the incident at 2212 UTC on October 29, approximately 25 nautical miles northeast of Khasab, Oman.
• The updated warning states that a small craft approached the tanker’s port side and attached two explosive devices above the waterline.
• The resulting explosions caused an engine-room fire and temporarily disabled the vessel. The fire was subsequently extinguished, and the tanker was reported continuing to its next port.
• Vanguard Tech identified the vessel as the Panama-flagged crude tanker Louise 1, IMO 9290323, of approximately 159,092 dwt. UKMTO had not independently published the vessel’s identity at the research cutoff.
• A separate tanker was struck by an unknown projectile during an outbound Hormuz transit at 1600 UTC. UKMTO Warning 186-26 reported no crew injuries or environmental impact, but did not identify the vessel or establish responsibility.
2. Contship Jet sinks with 421 containers aboard
• The Liberian-flagged containership Contship Jet, IMO 9348625, sank around midnight on October 29 after being struck by three maritime drones east of Cape Kaliakra.
• The vessel had been sailing from Haifa to Constanța with 421 containers. All 18 seafarers, comprising 14 Filipinos and four Ukrainians, were rescued and taken to Varna.
• Cargo information cited by Bulgarian and international reporting included lithium-ion batteries, corrosive liquids, acids and other industrial components.
• Initial inspections found no visible pollution. The absence of visible pollution does not resolve the longer-term environmental or navigational consequences of the wreck and lost cargo.
• Responsibility for the attack remained unconfirmed. Reuters verified footage of a maritime drone approaching the vessel, but available evidence did not establish the operator.
3. Gulf freight adds $5.4 billion to Shell lease costs
• Shell said higher freight rates increased its shipping-lease liabilities by $5.4 billion during the third quarter, compared with the previous quarter.
• The increase was described as a non-cash accounting effect added to net debt. Cumulative increases during the first nine months of 2026 were $8 billion above the corresponding 2025 period.
• Shell’s finance chief said Middle East-to-China shipping costs were approximately ten times their level 12 months earlier.
• TotalEnergies said its freight costs had risen from approximately $2 to $3 per barrel to around $25 per barrel.
• The French company attributed a $6-per-barrel quarterly reduction in liquids price realisation principally to increased shipping costs.
4. All 20 Sigma Pearl crew evacuated
• The Indian Coast Guard completed the evacuation of all 20 crew members from the grounded bulk carrier Sigma Pearl, IMO 9414773, on October 29.
• The Marshall Islands-flagged vessel was stranded off Andhra Pradesh following severe conditions associated with Cyclone Arnab.
• Coast Guard ship Sujay and a helicopter supported the evacuation near Antarvedi in rough sea conditions.
• Earlier reports stating that only 13 crew had been rescued were overtaken by the completed evacuation.
• The rescue confirmation did not establish that the vessel had been refloated or that the casualty file had been closed.
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Sources
UKMTO, Reuters, Bulgarian Ministry of Transport and Communications, Indian Coast Guard, Seatrade Maritime
This update is part of the DeepDraft SITREP series covering developing maritime operational situations.
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