A Hapag-Lloyd container ship, Source Blessing, was struck by projectile fragments near the Strait of Hormuz. The vessel caught fire. The crew evacuated safely. Hapag-Lloyd had time-chartered the ship to Maersk.
German shipping company Hapag-Lloyd says projectile fragments have hit the Liberia-flagged container vessel ‘Source Blessing’ near the #StraitofHormuz.https://t.co/PxO1HwOq5j
— Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng) March 12, 2026
Between March 2 and 4, multiple ships were attacked. A container ship was hit at the strait’s southern end. A bulk carrier near Fujairah was struck by an unmanned surface vessel.
On March 11, the UK Maritime Trade Operations reported three more attacks. One ship caught fire 11 nautical miles north of Oman. Another was hit 50 nautical miles northwest of Dubai. A third vessel sustained damage off the UAE coast.
Thailand’s navy reported a Thailand-flagged container ship with 23 crew was attacked. Photos showed black smoke from Mayuree Naree. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed responsibility.
The attacks followed U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28. Iran responded with missile and drone attacks. The Revolutionary Guard warned vessels to avoid the strait.
Shipping slowed almost to a halt. Tanker traffic dropped about 90% from the previous week. Maersk, CMA CGM, and Hapag-Lloyd suspended transits.
UKMTO logged 17 incidents from February 28 to March 11. This included 13 attacks and 4 suspicious activities.
War risk insurance surged. Underwriters offered coverage only for ships that had avoided the strait previously. Rates rose to 3% for U.S., UK, and Israeli vessels.
The strait is a key chokepoint. It carries about a quarter of global seaborne oil trade. In 2023, it handled 20.9 million barrels per day, around 20% of global petroleum consumption.
