Vessels have been advised to exercise caution in the Middle East Gulf south of Iran after a bizarre ramming incident.
UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) received a message from the master of a cargo ship saying it had been hit deliberately by a small boat on 11 May.
The incident took place 80 miles north-west of Jebel Ali in the United Arab Emirates.
The small craft was also seen attempting to collide with other ships in the area.
Crew from the boat were observed transferring safely to another small vessel before the craft ploughed into the hull of the cargo ship.
The merchant vessel remained at the scene for some time before heading to its next port of call, UKMTO added. All crew are reported to be safe and well.
The ship later received VHF messages from an entity claiming to be local authorities.
The messages requested the captain to stop the ship to enable representatives of the purported authorities to board.
Vessels are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO.
The incident bore all the hallmarks of a bomb-boat attack, just without the explosives.
Meanwhile, in the Red Sea, UKMTO said “sustained kinetic activity” in the area since mid-March, plus reported strikes against targets at the Yemeni port of Hodeidah, suggest a continuing threat from collateral damage to third-party vessels.
Vessels within 1 km of the Yemeni shore could well be at higher risk, the UK navy operation added.
All vessels were advised to exercise extreme caution in the vicinity of ports that have been subjected to US airstrikes.
At the beginning of May, Houthi forces stopped tankers and LPG carriers leaving a Yemeni fuel port two weeks after it was hit by US warplanes.
UKMTO received several reports from ships prevented from departing the oil terminal at Ras Isa despite having clearance from the United Nations Verification & Inspection Mechanism for Yemen.
Local authorities have reportedly demanded that vessels proceed to berths alongside from anchorage.
The US military had carried out an airstrike on the port while commercial ships were moored at the facility.
Central Command, which coordinates US forces in the region, said it launched the attacks to cut off a supply of fuel and revenue for the Iran-backed Houthi militant group.
