An Indian cargo ship sank due to a possible drone or missile attack off the coast of Oman. This adds more uncertainty for commercial shipping routes in the Gulf Region, given the US-Iran conflict’s continued escalations. The continuing escalation of tensions in West Asia will directly impact Indian traders, maritime employees and regional economic stability.
The cargo was identified as Haji Ali, which was registered with Salaya Port in the Devbhoomi Dwarka district of Gujarat. They were transporting livestock from Somalia to Sharjah. According to some authorities, the Haji Ali vessel was attacked during the early hours of Wednesday morning, when they were sailing near Limah, off of northern Oman. The vessel was hit by an unknown object, possibly a drone or missile. The explosion caused the vessel to catch fire and finally sink into the water.
The 14 Indian crew members on board were rescued by the Oman Coast Guard after they utilized the lifeboats to evacuate the ship and responded with a distress call. Later reports from Indian officials indicate that there were no on-board casualties.India has condemned the attack on civilian vessels in the Gulf, calling them “unacceptable”. Although the Indian government has not yet identified who was behind the attacks, it has stated that commercial vessels that are attacked threaten international shipping lanes, as well as the safety of civilians, and the right of all nations to navigate freely.
India condemns attack on commercial shipping
With uncertainty surrounding the region and the conflict in Iran disrupting shipping activities in the Strait of Hormuz, the attack on Haji Ali has come at a very unfortunate time. The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most strategic waterways, as it is the narrow waterway that carries a large percentage of global oil and gas trade.
Maritime security experts have suggested that the attack on Haji Ali was likely linked to the regional conflict and the use of drones by countries involved in naval confrontations.
The loss of Haji Ali is not an isolated incident, but rather represents the second ship with links to the state of Gujarat to sink within days of each other. The other vessel, Al Faiz Noor Suleimani-1, sank in the Strait of Hormuz after being caught in crossfire between warring countries in the Iranian conflict.
Second Gujarat-linked vessel lost within days
The repeated attacks make the operators of Gujarat’s traditional maritime trade (who have always relied on the Gulf sea routes for their cargo and regional commerce) increasingly anxious. Wooden cargo vessels (known as dhows) are still a very popular means of moving goods from India to East Africa and the Gulf countries across the Arabian Sea.
Because of the continued pattern of instability, ship operators believe that their continuing to be impacted by this pattern of instability will result in a significant disruption to smaller maritime businesses, who do not have the level of security associated with larger international shipping companies.
How the Iran conflict is disrupting global shipping
As the conflict in Iran has escalated this year, the risks and potential problems for commercial shipping in the Gulf region have increased significantly. Several ships have been reported attacked, damaged or abandoned, all near the Strait of Hormuz, one of the busiest maritime bottlenecks in the world.
Not only have the conflicts in Iran caused considerable disruption to global energy trade, but they have also affected the cost of insurance for shipping, global shipping schedules, and thousands of seafarers remain stuck because it is unclear whether it is safe to be working at sea.
India is increasingly concerned due to the amount of oil and other trade which passes through this region as any major disruption that affects these global trade routes directly impacts India Fuel Prices , shipping costs and can have a negative impact on overall economic stability in India.
The recent attack on Haji Ali has prompted new fears over the safety of commercial shipping as the lines between modern geopolitical conflicts and commercial routes become intertwined with military actions and pressure.
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A growing challenge for India’s maritime interests
The sinking of Haji Ali has highlighted the vulnerabilities that have been created within conflict-prone regions of commerce for individuals and companies that have commercial interests in these areas.
As the ongoing instability in West Asia continues to develop, India may feel more pressure to enhance diplomatic relations with the maritime community in that region, establish better coordination with regional partners, and create better protection mechanisms for Indian vessels operating in high-risk waterways.
All of the crew aboard the vessel has been accounted for and are safe; however, this incident has reinforced to the world an important reality, namely that as long as instability exists within West Asia, the possibility for a global shipping, energy security, and trade will be compromised at an exponential rate.
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