Iranian authorities have seized a bulk carrier after saying it dumped oil and sludge into the Strait of Hormuz, state media reported on 31 August. The ship, which was carrying sugar, has been referred to the judiciary, according to Esmaeil Makizadeh, deputy head of the Ports and Maritime Department in southern Hormozgan province.

Makizadeh told the official IRNA news agency that specialist and clean-up teams were dispatched to the site after images emerged showing an apparent oil discharge into the sea. He said the vessel had discharged a mixture of burnt oil, bilge water, and industrial sludge directly into the water. He did not identify the ship’s flag or disclose the nationalities of its crew.

The reported pollution has since been cleared, Makizadeh said, and the vessel has been handed over to the judicial authorities.

Regional context

The seizure comes amid a series of oil spills in the region in recent weeks. Iran has demanded compensation for several incidents, including one near the country’s Qeshm island. In early August, an oil slick was spotted near neighbouring Oman from a tanker that ran aground. An investigation by the AFP news agency found the ship had been stranded for weeks near Oman’s Al-Qibliyyah island after it was damaged by an unidentified incident.

Iran has maintained control over the Strait of Hormuz since the outbreak of the Middle East war in February. It has said it plans to charge fees from transiting vessels to fund services including environmental protection. The United States strongly opposes any fees in the strait.