Hormuz attacks hit more ship engine rooms as JMIC puts traffic 70% below prewar

Attacks on merchant ships in and around the Strait of Hormuz are becoming more frequent and more damaging, according to reports published on 20 and 21 October 2026.

gCaptain, carrying a Bloomberg report on 20 October, said at least 23 incidents involving ships attacked in or near the Strait of Hormuz were logged in the first two weeks of October, and at least five of those reported impacts to the ships' engine rooms. The figures came from naval groups in the region and alerts from security consultants. The same report said there were no attacks leading to engine damage in September. Shipping and maritime security officials told Bloomberg that Iran has recently begun using more missiles, rather than drones, to hit vessels.

Phillip Belcher, marine director at the tanker trade group Intertanko, was quoted as saying: "What we're seeing is an increase in the frequency of attacks, and therefore, more damage in engine rooms and disabling fire." The report noted that direct hits on engine rooms can leave ships without power or propulsion and take them out of service for months.

A separate gCaptain report on 20 October looked at Iran's claims that tankers have struck mines. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said on Tuesday that a supertanker caught fire after striking a mine south of the strait. gCaptain said the claims have not been independently substantiated. The Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC), in its 18 October advisory, said of earlier claims: "On 17 Oct the IRGC Navy claimed that two supertankers had struck mines in the Strait of Hormuz; there is no substantiation to these claims."

The same JMIC advisory, as reported by gCaptain:

• kept a SEVERE threat level for the Strait of Hormuz and warned mariners to watch for attempted mining in and near the traffic separation scheme
• counted 153 confirmed maritime security incidents across the wider region since 1 March
• put traffic through Hormuz at about 70% below prewar levels, with 254 vessel transits in the week ending 14 October

UKMTO recorded 12 attacks in the week covered by its 16 October overview, including a tug hit by two unknown projectiles near Khor Fakkan, UAE, on 18 October, gCaptain said.

Estimates of flows differ by measure. Bloomberg reported that US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on Sunday that shipments are at about 80% of normal levels, and that preliminary Kpler data put the seven-day average of Middle East oil exports fractionally above prewar levels.

Oil prices stayed high. Ada Derana reported on 21 October that Brent crude futures rose 85 cents to US$109.64 a barrel early on Wednesday, after settling at US$108.79 on Tuesday having touched a five-month high of US$111.99. The report quoted LSEG analysts saying that "Attacks on tankers have expanded beyond the Strait of Hormuz", with Iran targeting vessels as far south as the Gulf of Oman. It also said the Houthis on Monday claimed attacks on a Saudi Aramco site in Yanbu, the Shaybah oilfield and the Riyadh and Abha airports. Trading Economics showed Brent at US$110.36 on 21 October, up 1.44% on the day.

Sri Lanka imports almost all of its fuel, and much of the region's crude and products move through or near Hormuz. Higher crude prices feed into the cost of diesel, bunker fuel and electricity, and into the fuel surcharges that shipping lines and airlines add to freight.

The engine-room damage point is important for freight. Bloomberg reported that ships hit in this way stay out of action for longer, which could further cut the number of tankers available and push up the cost of moving energy. Tight tanker supply tends to show up later in fuel import costs.

For container cargo, the strait also serves Gulf ports such as those in the UAE. Earlier this month a container ship, GFS Pride, sank after being struck in Hormuz, as covered in our earlier post. A severe threat level and reduced traffic mean that war-risk premiums, schedule changes and cargo acceptance limits for Gulf routes are likely to stay in place while attacks continue.

The Houthi claims against Saudi sites, including the Red Sea port area of Yanbu, add to the risk picture on the Red Sea side as well.

1. If you ship to or from Gulf ports, ask your forwarder or carrier which surcharges (war risk, emergency fuel or contingency fees) currently apply, and whether they can change at short notice.
2. Check that your cargo insurance covers war and strikes risks on the routing actually used, not only the planned one.
3. Build extra time into delivery dates for Gulf-bound or Gulf-origin cargo, and agree with buyers how delays will be handled.
4. Watch fuel-linked costs. Brent and bunker prices are updated in the Trade watch figures, and local transport costs can be estimated with our container transport tool.
5. Share route and surcharge updates with other traders in the community.

This post reports on news coverage and is not legal, insurance or financial advice.