Crude tanker Sonangol Namibe reports suspected hull breach after blast near Iraq port

The Bahamas flagged crude oil tanker Sonangol Namibe’s hull was likely to have been ​breached after being hit by ‌a blast while anchored near Iraq’s Khor al Zubair port, U.S. representative company Sonangol Marine Services said on Thursday. The vessel was approached by ‌an ​unknown small vessel at ⁠0120 local time on ⁠March 5.

“The small boat approached the port ​side of the tanker and a short time ​later a loud bang was heard,” Sonangol Marine Services said in a statement. “The crew reports that a port ​ballast tank is losing water which suggests ​some form of hull breach but the ship remains ‌stable ⁠and safely afloat.” The vessel was not carrying cargo and there were no reports of pollution, the company added. The tanker had a contract with ​Iraq’s state ​oil marketer ⁠SOMO and was heading to an Iraqi terminal to load 80,000 METRIC ​tons of Iraqi fuel, an Iraqi ​energy ⁠source and a shipping agent said.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on ​Thursday that ⁠they had hit a U.S. tanker in the northern part of the Gulf and the vessel was on fire. Petroleiro da@sonangoloficialalvo de ataque no golfo.https://t.co/At18Nbdvva Footage shows the moment an Iranian kamikaze USV struck the Bahamas-flagged crude oil tanker SONANGOL NAMIBE in the Persian Gulf about 30NM southeast of Mubarak Al-Kabeer, Kuwait.https://t.co/9UQQdFH8P8pic.twitter.com/kusRs1AZzs This is the 8th confirmed merchant vessel confirmed to have been attacked.

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SONANGOL NAMIBE (9325049). It was attacked 30nm southeast of Mubarak al-Kabeer, Kuwait, at 22:20 UTC. After explosion, small craft was observed departing vicinity.https://t.co/YVHGIlBTbv

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