Three container ships linked to MSC, either through ownership or charter, were reported to have come under attack within a matter of hours in the Strait of Hormuz, in a major escalation involving Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
One of the vessels, the Epaminondas, reportedly suffered heavy damage to its bridge after being fired upon by the IRGC around 15 nautical miles northeast of Oman.
Two other ships — Eurphoria and MSC Francesca — were also reported to have been fired on while transiting the Strait.
According to Vanguard Tech, the Panama-flagged MSC Francesca was attacked roughly 6 nautical miles off the Iranian coast while heading southbound through Hormuz. The security firm said the vessel was contacted by the IRGC on VHF and ordered to anchor, with the ship’s master reporting damage to both the hull and the accommodation area.
Iran’s Fars news agency later reported that the IRGC Navy claimed to have seized both the Epaminondas and MSC Francesca and escorted them toward the Iranian coast. AIS tracking data indicated that both ships were largely stationary a few miles west of the Iranian port of Sirik.
The IRGC Navy Command alleged that the vessels had endangered maritime security by operating without the necessary authorisation and by manipulating their navigation systems.
A third incident was also reported by the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO). In an alert, the organisation said the master of an outbound cargo ship reported that the vessel had been fired upon and was now stopped in the water. The crew, however, were said to be safe and accounted for, with no reported damage.
That incident took place at 06:38 UTC, around 8 nautical miles west of Iran. Vanguard Tech identified the ship involved as the Panama-flagged Eurphoria. According to Pole Star Global’s PurpleTrac database, the vessel’s beneficial owner is MSC.
AIS data later indicated that Eurphoria had resumed sailing in the Gulf of Oman.
The attacks come against the backdrop of reports from Linerlytica that six MSC vessels had recently managed to transit the Strait with their AIS transponders switched off. At the time of the report, published on 21 April, the positions of Epaminondas and MSC Francesca were unknown.
With tensions rising, UKMTO warned that it was aware of heightened activity in the Strait of Hormuz and urged vessels to report any suspicious behaviour in the area.
