A containership that was previously involved in one of the deadliest incidents in the Strait of Hormuz crisis may have experienced another attack, as initial reports suggest the ship is now on fire following a possible overnight incident.
Maritime intelligence firm TankerTrackers has stated that the Egyptian-owned, Maltese-flagged containership Safeen Prestige “may have been struck again,” noting that the vessel appeared to be ablaze as of March 18. They advised that this report has not been independently verified.
This incident comes after a brief period with no confirmed attacks, raising new concerns that the ongoing campaign against commercial shipping in the area is escalating once again.
The Safeen Prestige has already been associated with several serious incidents since hostilities began in late February.
On March 4, the ship was hit by an unknown projectile while heading east about two nautical miles north of Oman. The strike caused a fire in the engine room, prompting the crew to abandon ship, according to maritime security reports and UKMTO advisories.
Just two days later, on March 6, a tugboat helping the damaged ship was struck by more projectiles in the same region. This attack resulted in the deaths of at least four seafarers and left many others seriously injured, making it one of the deadliest incidents in the ongoing conflict involving commercial shipping.
The International Maritime Organization had previously warned that civilian maritime workers were increasingly at risk as the Strait of Hormuz turned into an active conflict zone.
This latest report comes despite a recent advisory from the Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC) stating that no confirmed vessel attacks occurred since March 12.
However, the JMIC cautioned that the threat level for regional maritime activities remains CRITICAL, with over 20 incidents reported since hostilities began and significant disruptions affecting operations across the Arabian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Gulf of Oman. Vessel traffic through the strait has plummeted to just a few daily passages—down more than 95% from normal levels—as shipowners steer clear of the area.
New data indicates that this pause in hostilities may already be coming to an end. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported two additional maritime security incidents between March 18 and March 19, including a vessel hit by an unknown projectile east of Khor Fakkan, UAE, resulting in a fire onboard, and another vessel struck west of Ras Laffan, Qatar. No casualties were reported, but these events highlight the ongoing instability in the region.
Security analysts believe that the nature of these attacks—targeting various types of vessels across multiple locations—indicates a campaign aimed at creating widespread disruption in maritime activities rather than targeting specific ships or operators.
The Strait of Hormuz, through which approximately one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passes, has become one of the most perilous areas for global shipping. Thousands of maritime workers are still aboard vessels stranded in the region, as insurers, shipowners, and charterers continue to evaluate their risks.
Authorities have not yet confirmed this latest incident, and it remains unclear what condition the vessel is currently in.