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日本海事新聞ニュース Japan Maritime Daily Apr 21, 2026 (Tue)

Hormuz Crisis Escalates: US Seizes Iranian Containership as Truce Crumbles, Threatening Red Sea Supply Routes

The Iranian-registered container ship “TOUSKA“ being tracked by a U.S. guided-missile destroyer (foreground) (from the U.S. Central Command website)

　Ahead of the end of the ceasefire period agreed by the United States and Iran (until April 22, Japa ・・・続きはログインして下さいnext %E3%80%80Ahead+of+the+end+of+the+ceasefire+period+agreed+by+the+United+States+and+Iran+%28until+April+22%2C+Japan+time%29%2C+the+situation+surrounding+the+Strait+of+%3Cb%3EHormuz%3C%2Fb%3E+is+becoming+increasingly+complex.+On+April+18%2C+Iran+carried+out+attacks+on+unarmed+merchant+vessels.+In+response%2C+the+United+States+seized+an+Iranian-flagged+vessel%2C+further+escalating+the+confrontation.+Both+sides+continue+to+trade+accusations+over+the+closure+of+the+Strait+of+%3Cb%3EHormuz%3C%2Fb%3E.+After+the+ceasefire+agreement%2C+it+appears+that+more+than+20+merchant+and+passenger+vessels%2C+mainly+those+departing+from+the+Persian+Gulf%2C+were+transiting+the+area+on+some+days%2C+but+as+of+April+20%2C+such+traffic+had+almost+come+to+a+halt.+Amid+tensions+between+the+two+countries%2C+Yemen%E2%80%99s+pro-Iran+armed+Houthi+group+has+also+hinted+at+blockading+the+Bab-el-Mandeb+Strait%2C+which+connects+the+Red+Sea+and+the+Gulf+of+Aden%2C+raising+the+possibility+that+disruption+could+spread+to+the+Red+Sea+route+as+well%2C+which+had+been+expected+to+serve+as+an+alternative+route+for+shipping+resources+such+as+oil.+%3Cbr%3E+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80On+April+19%2C+U.S.+Central+Command+revealed+that+it+had+ordered+the+Iranian-flagged+container+ship+%E2%80%9CTOUSKA%E2%80%9C+%28built+in+2008%2C+4%2C795+TEU%29%2C+which+was+sailing+toward+the+Iranian+port+of+Bandar+Abbas%2C+to+stop%2C+but+when+it+failed+to+comply%2C+shots+were+fired+into+the+engine+room%2C+damaging+the+vessel+and+forcing+it+to+stop.+U.S.+Marines+boarded+the+vessel+and+placed+it+under+U.S.+control.+The+vessel+had+been+subject+to+sanctions+by+OFAC+%28the+U.S.+Department+of+the+Treasury+Office+of+Foreign+Assets+Control%29.+U.S.+Central+Command+said+that+since+the+start+of+the+blockade%2C+it+has+instructed+25+merchant+ships+to+return+to+Iranian+ports+or+turn+back.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80On+April+17%2C+Iranian+Foreign+Minister+Abbas+Araghchi+announced+that+the+Strait+of+%3Cb%3EHormuz%3C%2Fb%3E+had+been+reopened%2C+but+after+U.S.+President+Trump+said+that+%E2%80%9Cthe+U.S.+maritime+blockade+on+Iran-related+vessels+would+continue%2C%E2%80%9C+attacks+on+merchant+ships+by+Iran%E2%80%99s+military+organization%2C+the+IRGC+%28Islamic+Revolutionary+Guard+Corps%29%2C+began+on+April+18.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80According+to+UKMTO+%28United+Kingdom+Maritime+Trade+Operations%29%2C+on+April+18+a+tanker+was+attacked+by+the+IRGC%2C+and+a+container+ship+was+attacked+by+an+unidentified+flying+object.+The+tanker+is+believed+to+have+been+the+Indian-flagged+VLCC+%28Very+Large+Crude+Carrier%29+%E2%80%9CSANMAR+HERALD.%E2%80%9C+According+to+foreign+media+reports%2C+despite+having+obtained+permission+from+the+Iranian+authorities+to+transit%2C+it+was+suddenly+ordered+by+the+IRGC+to+stop+and+was+then+attacked.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80In+addition%2C+data+from+MarineTraffic%2C+a+maritime+information+service%2C+has+confirmed+that+a+Chinese-flagged+vessel+once+attempted+to+transit+the+Strait+of+%3Cb%3EHormuz%3C%2Fb%3E+before+turning+back.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80Given+that+India+and+China+were+believed+to+have+built+good+relations+with+the+Iranian+government%2C+the+fact+that+even+vessels+from+these+friendly+countries+were+attacked+and+obstructed+has+made+it+extremely+difficult+for+shipping+companies+to+decide+whether+to+transit+the+strait+until+it+is+confirmed+that+the+United+States+and+Iran+have+agreed+on+and+will+comply+with+clear+conditions+for+passage.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80Direct+talks+between+the+United+States+and+Iran+are+scheduled+to+be+held+in+Islamabad%2C+Pakistan%2C+on+the+evening+of+April+20+local+time%2C+following+the+previous+round.+However%2C+on+April+19+Iran+announced+through+the+state+news+agency+that+it+would+refuse+to+participate+in+the+talks%2C+citing+violations+of+the+ceasefire+agreement%2C+including+the+continuation+of+the+maritime+blockade.+Even+if+talks+are+held%2C+it+is+extremely+unlikely+that+there+will+be+major+progress+beyond+the+agreement+reached+in+the+first+round.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%96%A0+Crude+oil+procurement+difficulties+continue+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80Prolonged+disruption+surrounding+the+Strait+of+%3Cb%3EHormuz%3C%2Fb%3E+is+expected+to+continue%2C+and+the+spot+charter+market+for+Middle+East-loading+VLCCs+is+also+likely+to+remain+stagnant%2C+with+virtually+no+actual+fixtures+being+concluded.+A+person+in+the+brokerage+business+said%3A+%E2%80%9CShipowners+will+likely+continue+to+avoid+sending+vessels+in+and+out+until+safety+can+be+confirmed.+It+is+also+difficult+to+evacuate+safely+the+vessels+remaining+in+the+Persian+Gulf.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80As+of+2+p.m.+on+April+20%2C+the+number+of+Japan-related+vessels+remaining+in+the+Persian+Gulf+continued+to+stand+at+42%2C+and+the+number+of+Japanese+crew+members+stood+at+20.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80If+the+Houthis+blockade+the+Bab-el-Mandeb+Strait%2C+crude+oil+exports+from+Yanbu%2C+a+Saudi+Arabian+port+on+the+Red+Sea%2C+will+also+face+a+hopeless+situation.+According+to+an+analysis+by+BIMCO+%28Baltic+and+International+Maritime+Council%29%2C+the+port+of+Yanbu+had+increased+its+shipment+volume+by+about+3+million+barrels+per+day+since+the+blockade+of+the+Strait+of+%3Cb%3EHormuz%3C%2Fb%3E.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80The+person+in+the+brokerage+business+mentioned+above+said%3A+%E2%80%9CYanbu+is+the+only+hub+from+which+Saudi+Arabia+can+export+crude+oil+under+a+blockade+of+the+Strait+of+%3Cb%3EHormuz%3C%2Fb%3E.+If+shipments+from+there+stop%2C+the+world+will+lose+one+major+alternative+source+of+supply.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E3%80%90Shocking+military+conflict+with+Iran%E3%80%91+%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EDisclaimer%3A+The+English+translations+provided+through+this+service+are+the+result+of+translations+made+by+The+Japan+Maritime+Daily+or+automatically+and+mechanically+translated+by+The+Japan+Maritime+Daily+using+an+automated+translation+system+provided+by+a+third+party+after+certain+processing+of+the+Japanese+content+licensed+by+the+third+party.+In+terms+of+the+English+translation%2C+The+Japan+Maritime+Daily+and+MarineNet+Co.%2C+Ltd.+make+no+warranty+or+burden+of+any+kind%2C+express+or+implied%2C+including+its+accuracy%2C+reliability%2C+validity+or+fitness+for+a+particular+purpose.+MarineNet+Users+should+fully+understand+that+this+service+uses+an+automated+translation+system+that+automatically+and+mechanically+recognizes+and+analyzes+information+and+produces+results.+The+users+should+understand+the+above+conditions+before+using+this+service.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E5%85%8D%E8%B2%AC%E4%BA%8B%E9%A0%85%EF%BC%9A%E3%81%93%E3%81%AE%E3%82%B5%E3%83%BC%E3%83%93%E3%82%B9%E3%82%92%E4%BB%8B%E3%81%97%E3%81%A6%E6%8F%90%E4%BE%9B%E3%81%95%E3%82%8C%E3%82%8B%E8%8B%B1%E8%A8%B3%E3%81%AF%E3%80%81%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E6%B5%B7%E4%BA%8B%E6%96%B0%E8%81%9E%E3%81%8C%E4%BD%9C%E6%88%90%E3%81%99%E3%82%8B%E3%81%8B%E3%80%81%E5%8F%88%E3%81%AF%E3%80%81%E7%AC%AC%E4%B8%89%E8%80%85%E3%81%8B%E3%82%89%E4%BD%BF%E7%94%A8%E8%A8%B1%E8%AB%BE%E3%82%92%E5%8F%97%E3%81%91%E3%81%9F%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E8%AA%9E%E3%81%AE%E3%82%B3%E3%83%B3%E3%83%86%E3%83%B3%E3%83%84%E3%82%92%E3%80%81%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E6%B5%B7%E4%BA%8B%E6%96%B0%E8%81%9E%E3%81%8C%E4%B8%80%E5%AE%9A%E3%81%AE%E5%87%A6%E7%90%86%E3%82%92%E8%A1%8C%E3%81%A3%E3%81%9F%E4%B8%8A%E3%81%A7%E3%80%81%E7%AC%AC%E4%B8%89%E8%80%85%E3%81%8C%E6%8F%90%E4%BE%9B%E3%81%99%E3%82%8B%E8%87%AA%E5%8B%95%E7%BF%BB%E8%A8%B3%E3%82%B7%E3%82%B9%E3%83%86%E3%83%A0%E3%82%92%E5%88%A9%E7%94%A8%E3%81%97%E3%81%A6%E8%87%AA%E5%8B%95%E7%9A%84%E3%83%BB%E6%A9%9F%E6%A2%B0%E7%9A%84%E3%81%AB%E7%BF%BB%E8%A8%B3%E3%81%97%E3%81%9F%E7%B5%90%E6%9E%9C%E3%81%A7%E3%81%82%E3%82%8A%E3%80%81%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E6%B5%B7%E4%BA%8B%E6%96%B0%E8%81%9E%E3%80%81%E3%83%9E%E3%83%AA%E3%83%B3%E3%83%8D%E3%83%83%E3%83%88%E3%81%AF%E3%80%81%E5%BD%93%E8%A9%B2%E8%8B%B1%E8%A8%B3%E3%81%AB%E9%96%A2%E3%81%97%E3%81%A6%E3%80%81%E3%81%9D%E3%81%AE%E6%AD%A3%E7%A2%BA%E6%80%A7%E3%80%81%E4%BF%A1%E9%A0%BC%E6%80%A7%E3%80%81%E5%A6%A5%E5%BD%93%E6%80%A7%E5%8F%8A%E3%81%B3%E7%89%B9%E5%AE%9A%E7%9B%AE%E7%9A%84%E3%81%B8%E3%81%AE%E9%81%A9%E5%90%88%E6%80%A7%E3%82%92%E5%90%AB%E3%82%81%E3%80%81%E6%98%8E%E7%A4%BA%E5%8F%88%E3%81%AF%E9%BB%99%E7%A4%BA%E3%81%AB%E3%82%82%E3%80%81%E3%81%84%E3%81%8B%E3%81%AA%E3%82%8B%E4%BF%9D%E8%A8%BC%E3%82%82%E3%81%97%E3%81%BE%E3%81%9B%E3%82%93%E3%80%82%E3%83%9E%E3%83%AA%E3%83%B3%E3%83%8D%E3%83%83%E3%83%88%E3%83%A6%E3%83%BC%E3%82%B6%E3%83%BC%E3%81%AF%E3%80%81%E3%81%93%E3%81%AE%E3%82%B5%E3%83%BC%E3%83%93%E3%82%B9%E3%81%8C%E3%80%81%E8%87%AA%E5%8B%95%E7%9A%84%E3%81%8B%E3%81%A4%E6%A9%9F%E6%A2%B0%E7%9A%84%E3%81%AB%E6%83%85%E5%A0%B1%E3%82%92%E8%AA%8D%E8%AD%98%E3%83%BB%E5%88%86%E6%9E%90%E3%81%97%E3%81%A6%E7%B5%90%E6%9E%9C%E3%82%92%E5%87%BA%E5%8A%9B%E3%81%99%E3%82%8B%E8%87%AA%E5%8B%95%E7%BF%BB%E8%A8%B3%E3%82%B7%E3%82%B9%E3%83%86%E3%83%A0%E3%82%92%E4%BD%BF%E7%94%A8%E3%81%97%E3%81%9F%E3%82%B5%E3%83%BC%E3%83%93%E3%82%B9%E3%81%A7%E3%81%82%E3%82%8B%E3%81%93%E3%81%A8%E3%82%92%E5%8D%81%E5%88%86%E3%81%AB%E7%90%86%E8%A7%A3%E3%81%97%E3%81%9F%E4%B8%8A%E3%81%A7%E3%80%81%E3%81%93%E3%81%AE%E3%82%B5%E3%83%BC%E3%83%93%E3%82%B9%E3%82%92%E5%88%A9%E7%94%A8%E3%81%99%E3%82%8B%E3%82%82%E3%81%AE%E3%81%A8%E3%81%97%E3%81%BE%E3%81%99%E3%80%82%3Cbr%3E