This Jan 10, 2023 photo shows Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker Advantage Sweet, which, according to Refinitiv ship tracking data, had last docked in Kuwait, sailing at Marmara sea near Istanbul, Türkiye. (PHOTO / REUTERS)
Iran seized a Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman in international waters on Thursday, the US Navy said.
Iran's army said it had seized a Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman after it collided with an Iranian boat, injuring several crewmen, Iranian state media reported.
"Two members of the boat's crew are missing and several were injured due to the collision of the ship with the boat," reads an army statement.
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The US Navy identified the vessel as the Advantage Sweet. According to Refinitiv ship tracking data, it is a Suezmax crude tanker that had been chartered by oil major Chevron and had last docked in Kuwait.
The vessel's destination was listed as the US Gulf of Mexico port of Houston, ship tracking data showed
Chevron said it is aware of the situation involving the Advantage Sweet and is "in contact with the vessel operator with the hope of resolving this situation as soon as possible," a spokesperson said.
The vessel's destination was listed as the US Gulf of Mexico port of Houston, ship tracking data showed.
Its manager is listed as Genel Denizcilik Nakliyati AS. The Türkiye-based company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Marshall Islands Maritime Administrator said it was aware of the situation and was in communication with the vessel's owner/operator but declined to comment further.
The US Navy added that after sending a P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft to monitor the situation, "we have since been able to determine the IRIN (Iranian navy) conducted the seizure".
Iranian authorities did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
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About a fifth of the world's crude oil and oil products passes through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow choke point between Iran and Oman which the Advantage Sweet had passed through, according to data from analytics firm Vortexa.
The US Navy, whose Fifth Fleet is based at the Gulf island state of Bahrain, called on Iran to immediately release the tanker.
The ship issued a distress call during the seizure, the US Navy statement said.
