Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA) issued a new warning that charterers pressuring ships’ masters to pass through the Strait of Hormuz without first securing permission will themselves be blacklisted, with all vessels under their control facing restricted passage through the waterway. The US-sanctioned body, which issues transit permits for the strait, said the practice exposes vessels, owners, masters and crews to financial and physical risk while jeopardizing the ship’s future ability to transit Hormuz. The PGSA shared a redacted letter it said was from a shipowner seeking removal from its Non-Compliance List, in which the owner claimed a charterer had forced the master to proceed with transit before required declaration and approval procedures were completed.
The warning comes as PGSA’s blacklist, which stood at roughly 56 vessels at the start of September, has grown to more than 80 ships as of last week, according to Maritime Executive. Iran has continued to assert control over the strategic waterway even as the United States insists the Strait of Hormuz remains open, and after Tehran’s overtures through mediators to negotiate terms for reopening the passage were rejected by the Trump administration. Vessels on the list face fines, detention, or confiscation on future passages, and PGSA has separately warned that ships conducting ship-to-ship transfers with blacklisted vessels risk being added to the roster themselves, compounding uncertainty for shipowners, charterers, and cargo interests operating in Gulf trade.
Source: The Maritime Executive — https://maritime-executive.com/article/iran-threatens-vessel-charterers-as-dispute-over-hormuz-continues
Tags: Strait of Hormuz, Iran, PGSA, Tanker Sanctions
