Key Takeaways: ADNOC said 15 of its vessels have been attacked since the U.S. and Israel launched war on Iran, with one crew member killed and 20 wounded in Strait of Hormuz strikes.
Quay lại
ADNOC Says 15 Ships Attacked as Hormuz War Disrupts Oil Flows
ADNOC said 15 of its ships have been attacked since the U.S. and Israel launched war on Iran, with one crew member killed and 20 wounded in Strait of Hormuz strikes that have throttled the world's most critical oil chokepoint.
The UAE's state oil giant said it remains "heavily" affected by the regional situation, with its shipping arm ADNOC L&S confirming two very large crude carriers, Mombasa B and Al Bahiyah, were struck by Iranian cruise missiles while transiting Hormuz and sustained "significant damage."
The attacks compounded a supply shock that pushed Brent crude to $91.80 a barrel, up more than 1 percent, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude climbed to $84.85. Commodity vessel crossings through Hormuz fell to three on Thursday, the fewest daily transits since May, with most ships halting or turning back after the strikes.
Hormuz carries roughly a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas, and the near-closure has driven up energy prices, insurance costs and freight rates. With the U.S. reimposing a naval blockade on Iranian ports and Iran threatening to shut other export corridors, traders are bracing for a prolonged disruption that could keep Brent elevated into the next quarter.
One Death, 20 Wounded in ADNOC Fleet Strikes
The casualties came as Iranian forces targeted commercial shipping in the waterway, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps saying it fired at vessels attempting to transit an "unsafe" southern route. ADNOC has been among the most active participants in a U.S.-led effort to keep Gulf oil flowing, making its fleet a recurring target. The company's shipping arm is simultaneously expanding, agreeing in a separate deal to acquire 11 tankers for about $1.3 billion to support ADNOC Group's growing production and export activity.
Hormuz Traffic Collapses as Blockade Bites
The re-escalation in fighting has largely halted traffic through the strait, with no very large crude carriers or LNG tankers visibly passing on some days. The disruption is reshaping the global energy trade, stripping Gulf producers of their reputation as reliable suppliers and shifting bargaining power toward Asian and European LNG buyers, who are seeking lower prices and additional supply guarantees from Qatar and the UAE.
The last time Hormuz traffic collapsed to this degree, during the initial U.S.-Israeli strikes in February, Brent settled above $100 a barrel before a June memorandum of understanding briefly reopened the waterway. That truce has since unraveled, and each new attack on a tanker reinforces doubts over the security of the artery.
If the standoff persists, analysts expect Brent to hold above $90 a barrel, with the risk of a spike toward $100 should the Houthis extend their Red Sea blockade of Saudi shipments. A diplomatic resolution, by contrast, could unwind the supply premium quickly, as it did when talks over the strait made "positive progress" and oil fell to a four-month low.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.
