Page 6 - MEOG Week 30

MEOG PiPeLines & transPort MEOG
UK orders escort for British- flagged vessels transiting Hormuz
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BRItAIN has changed its approach to Brit- ish- agged vessels transiting the Strait of Hor- muz – in a change in policy announced on July 25 the UK government said a warship would accompany all such vessels. It previously said it did not have the resources to achieve this.
Iranian commandos seized UK- agged oil tanker Stena Impero in the strait – the world’s most important chokepoint for oil shipments – on July 19, presenting the Boris Johnson-led British government that took power this week with a dilemma, namely how to protect the score or more UK vessels that daily pass along the nar- row shipping lanes leading out of the Gulf from potential further attempts at seizures. Iran says it seized the Stena Impero because the UK on July 4 used Royal Marines to grab Iran’s Grace 1 o Gibraltar at the behest of the US. e UK claims it acted on its own initiative in a bid to stop oil getting to Syria in breach of an EU embargo, although Brussels has been silent on the matter.
HMS Montrose, a British frigate now in the vicinity of the strait, which turned up to late to protect the Stena Impero, carried out the rst mission under the new policy on the evening of July 25.
“ e Royal Navy has been tasked to accom- pany British- agged ships through the Strait of Hormuz, either individually or in groups, should su cientnoticebegivenoftheirpassage,”agov- ernment spokesman said, according to Reuters.
“Freedom of navigation is crucial for the
global trading system and world economy, and we will do all we can to defend it,” he added in a statement.
the British government had previously advised British-flagged vessels to avoid the Strait of Hormuz where possible and to notify the navy if they must cross it. It had cautioned that it would not be able to escort every ship.
Britain, meanwhile, has been attempting to put together a European-led maritime protec- tion mission to ensure safe shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Around 20% of the world’s oil passes through the strait.
e cost of insuring a vessel sailing through the Gulf has risen tenfold in the wake of inci- dents with oil tankers, including several small limpet bomb attacks which Iran denies it was behind.
“ e key issue with the escorts is the rules of engagement,” said Mark Gray, a retired colonel with Britain’s Royal Marines told Reuters.
“ e vessels must have the authorisation to re warning shots, and also, if necessary, target rounds against boats and helicopters. If not, the Iranians will call our blu and board, even if escorted,” said Gray, co-founder of British com- pany MNG Maritime, which runs a UK regu- lated oating armoury some 26 nautical miles from the coast of the United Arab Emirates.
e US, UK and other nations will meet in Florida on July 26 to discuss how to protect ship- ping in the Gulf from Iran.™
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w w w . N E W S B A S E . c o m Week 30 30•July•2019