European navies patrolling the Strait of Hormuz have criticised Iran’s seizure of a Swiss-controlled suezmax.
Iran’s navy boarded the 159,000-dwt Advantage Sweet (built 2012) in the Gulf of Oman on Thursday, later moving it to a domestic port.
European Maritime Awareness Strait of Hormuz (EMASOH) condemned the detention.
Countries taking part in the mission, including Germany, France, Italy, Greece and Norway, said it was a breach of international law.
“We call for the immediate release of the vessel, the crew and cargo while ensuring the good treatment of the crew members, their access to consular assistance, supplies and their free communication,” the mission added.
“The seizure of the Advantage Sweet oil tanker while it was transiting international waters puts at risk the maritime safety and freedom of navigation in the Gulf region,” the countries said.
The purpose of the mission is to protect freedom of navigation, ensure coordination between parties in the area and contribute to a de-escalation of tensions by a diplomatic and military presence.
The vessel is carrying a cargo of Kuwaiti crude for US charterer Chevron, bound for Texas.
Chevron said it is aware of the situation involving the Advantage Sweet.
The charterer told Reuters it is “in contact with the vessel operator with the hope of resolving this situation as soon as possible”.
Conflicting reports of Iranian motivation
Advantage Tankers chief executive Tugrul Tokgoz told TradeWinds on Thursday the crew was safe.
The company has not provided any updates on Friday on whether there had been contact with the seafarers or Iranian authorities.
Official Iranian news agencies alleged the Advantage Tankers ship had been involved in a collision with a fishing boat, but other sources linked the seizure to recent moves by US authorities to lay their hands on another vessel that had been held for months in Singapore.
This could point to the 159,000-dwt Suez Rajan (built 2011). Victims of the 11 September 2001 terror attacks filed court applications in the US last year, seeking to seize the Iranian oil the ship was allegedly carrying.
Vessel trackers show the Suez Rajan as having left Singapore earlier this month, sailing in a westerly direction south of Madagascar towards the Atlantic.
