Container ship sinks near Hormuz as attacks on shipping hit their fastest pace of the war
A Singapore-flagged vessel went down after being struck by a projectile, while daily transits through the strait remain a tiny fraction of pre-war traffic and Brent crude holds above $100.
At a glance
- The Singapore-flagged container ship GFS Pride sank near the Strait of Hormuz after being hit by a projectile, maritime security sources said on October 14.
- Maritime officials counted 12 vessels attacked in and around the strait between October 5 and 11, the highest pace since the conflict began.
- IMF PortWatch logged only a handful of daily transits in early October against a pre-crisis baseline of about 85 a day.
- Brent crude traded around $102 a barrel in early October.
The war over the Strait of Hormuz claimed another ship this week. The GFS Pride, a small Singapore-flagged container vessel able to carry around 2,824 standard containers, sank while sailing through the strait after being hit by a projectile, maritime security sources told Reuters on Wednesday.
In a separate incident, the Antigua and Barbuda-flagged bulk carrier Cape Dao was reported to be going down near the strait, weeks after it was struck on September 23. On Friday another oil tanker was reported hit close to the waterway.
Attacks at their highest pace
Maritime officials say 12 vessels were attacked in and around the strait between October 5 and 11 — the fastest rate of attacks since the conflict began. On October 11 alone, the UK Maritime Trade Operations centre (UKMTO) reported three tanker incidents in under 24 hours. Iran's Revolutionary Guard Navy said a supertanker hit a mine on a prohibited route that weekend, the third vessel to do so since the Saturday before.
Although most strikes have targeted tankers, cargo and container ships have also been attacked, immobilised or sunk. Two senior Iranian officials told Reuters that Tehran is using new tactics to keep oil prices high.
Traffic has almost stopped
IMF PortWatch data cited by the Straits daily brief recorded just four transits on October 4, against a pre-crisis baseline of about 85 a day. More than 140 ships were holding position in the wider Gulf watch area in early October.
The two sides tell different stories. Revolutionary Guard advisers say the strait will remain closed until Iran's conditions are met; US Central Command says crude is still moving and describes its own blockade of Iranian ports as firm.
What it means for prices
Brent crude stood at about $102 a barrel on October 8, with WTI near $90. Before the war, roughly a fifth of the world's oil and LNG trade moved through Hormuz, so every new attack feeds into fuel bills from Karachi to California — and into the price of goods that rely on Gulf shipping lanes.
The strait was first closed after the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran in late February. Iran announced a fresh closure on July 12, and a June memorandum on freedom of navigation has stalled over security disagreements.
Questions people are asking
Is the Strait of Hormuz open to shipping right now?
Traffic is technically possible but heavily disrupted. Iran's Revolutionary Guard says the strait stays closed until its demands are met, the US disputes that picture, and daily transits are far below the pre-war average of roughly 85 vessels.
Why does Hormuz matter for oil prices?
Before the war, about one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas trade passed through the strait. Attacks and blockades there push up crude, freight and insurance costs worldwide.
How we verified this story
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