Iran has reportedly seized two container vessels operated by MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company after they were hit by gunfire in the Strait of Hormuz, according to industry reports and media coverage.
The vessels identified as having been captured are the Panama-flagged MSC Francesca and Epaminodes, while a third vessel, Euphoria, was also reportedly attacked during the same incident.
Iranian state media indicated that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps targeted the vessels, with two seized and one left stranded.
In a statement, the IRGC claimed the ships had allegedly operated without authorisation, repeatedly violated regulations, manipulated navigational aid systems and attempted to leave the Strait of Hormuz covertly, thereby endangering maritime security.
The incident was also highlighted by IAM, the International Association of Movers, which advised its members to review current freight bookings to assess potential shipment disruption. The development is particularly notable given that MSC had successfully moved four vessels through the strait over the same weekend.
Reporting referenced by the New York Post said three vessels had been struck by Iranian gunfire, with Iranian state television indicating that two had been seized and the third left stranded on the Iranian coast.
The latest incident adds to growing concerns around vessel safety in the region and further reinforces the operational uncertainty facing shipping lines transiting one of the world’s most strategically sensitive maritime chokepoints.
