By Staff, Agencies

Satellite data indicates that a liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier was struck by a projectile while transiting the southern shipping lane of the Strait of Hormuz, amid ongoing disruptions to maritime traffic in the strategic waterway.

The vessel, identified as the GasLog Shanghai and sailing under the Bermuda flag, was carrying a cargo of Qatari LNG. According to reports, the ship switched off its Automatic Identification System (AIS) while passing through the Strait, contrary to standard maritime regulations.

Earlier on Friday, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that a vessel navigating the southern shipping lane in Omani waters, about 11 nautical miles northeast of Lima, had been struck and was left unable to maneuver after losing propulsion.

UKMTO said no casualties or environmental damage had been reported and did not attribute responsibility for the incident.

In a separate advisory, UKMTO said another tanker located 21 nautical miles northeast of Khasab, Oman, reported witnessing a large explosion and water splash near the vessel. The ship sustained no damage and continued its voyage.

The incidents come one day after Iran's Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA) said normal transit through the Strait of Hormuz remains unfeasible while US military operations continue, adding that navigation permits would only be reconsidered once conditions stabilize.

Maritime traffic through the Strait has declined sharply since the conflict escalated, with the number of vessels transiting the waterway reportedly falling from about 130 per day before the outbreak of hostilities to only a handful in recent days.

Meanwhile, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr warned that continued US military escalation and the naval blockade imposed on Iran could further disrupt maritime traffic beyond the Strait of Hormuz.

Zolghadr said continued escalation could lead to tighter restrictions in the Strait and potentially affect other regional waterways, warning of broader consequences for global trade, energy markets, and the international economy.