A Kuwaiti supertanker carrying over 2 million barrels of crude oil was hit by a drone off the coast of Dubai late Monday, causing a fire that was eventually controlled without any injuries or pollution, according to...
A Kuwaiti supertanker carrying over 2 million barrels of crude oil was hit by a drone off the coast of Dubai late Monday, causing a fire that was eventually controlled without any injuries or pollution, according to officials and maritime security reports.
Emergency teams in Dubai responded quickly to the situation at Anchorage “E” and confirmed that all 24 crew members on board were safe. Maritime firefighting units worked throughout the night to put out the fire, which was later said to be fully contained with no reports of oil leakage.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations received a report about a tanker being hit by an “unknown projectile” around 31 nautical miles northwest of Dubai, which resulted in a fire on the vessel.
Ship-tracking analysts from TankerTrackers identified the ship as the Kuwaiti-flagged VLCC Al Salmi, which was carrying about 1.2 million barrels of Saudi crude and 800,000 barrels of Kuwaiti crude. AIS data indicates that the ship's next destination is Qingdao, China.
Separately, UKMTO issued a warning a few hours earlier about a container ship northeast of Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia, that reported two projectiles falling nearby within an hour.
In both incidents, no injuries or environmental damage were reported.
These events are the first confirmed incidents in the region since March 22, according to UKMTO data, indicating a potential increase in maritime attacks related to the ongoing U.S.-Israel–Iran conflict.
This comes after U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Truth Social that the United States is having “serious discussions” with a “new and more reasonable regime” in Iran, hinting at possible negotiations to end ongoing U.S. military actions.
However, he cautioned that if an agreement is not reached “shortly” and the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened to commercial shipping, the U.S. may target critical infrastructure in Iran, including electric plants, oil fields, export facilities on Kharg Island, and possibly desalination plants—assets that Washington has explicitly chosen not to strike yet.
This statement represents one of the most direct threats against Iran’s energy and civilian infrastructure and highlights the significant link between any ceasefire and the reopening of maritime traffic through the Strait.
Since late February, UKMTO has recorded 24 incidents in the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Gulf of Oman, which include 16 confirmed attacks and 8 reports of suspicious activities.
The recent strike emphasizes the ongoing vulnerability of energy shipping in the Gulf, even beyond the narrow Strait of Hormuz.
While operations at Dubai’s anchorage have resumed, this incident may increase war-risk premiums and complicate efforts to restore confidence in Gulf transits, where traffic is still significantly below normal levels.