Three box ships reportedly under fire in Strait of Hormuz as Trump extends ceasefire

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported on 22 April that the master of a container vessel said it had been approached by an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) gunboat approximately 15 nautical miles northeast of Oman.

The vessel was reportedly fired upon, sustaining heavy damage to its bridge. UKMTO added that no fires or environmental impact had been reported and that the crew was safe.

Maritime security sources identified the vessel as Epaminondas, a Greek-owned, Liberia-flagged ship built in 1998. The vessel’s manager, Technomar Shipping, confirmed the incident in a statement, noting that preliminary inspections indicated damage to the bridge.

“Technomar remains in close contact with the crew and relevant authorities. Our priority remains the safety and well-being of our crew as we work with all relevant stakeholders to ensure their continued safety and investigate the incident,” the company said.

Vanguard reported that no VHF contact was made before the incident and that the vessel had been informed it had permission to transit the Strait of Hormuz.

In a separate incident, UKMTO said the master of an outbound cargo vessel reported coming under fire and that the ship is now stopped in the water approximately eight nautical miles west of Iran.

According to UKMTO, the crew is safe and accounted for, and no damage to the vessel has been reported.

The vessel is believed to be a Panama-flagged container ship built in 2002 and owned by a UAE-based company. Riviera has approached the owner for comment.

“The master stated that the vessel stopped in the water, but it remains unclear whether it has resumed its transit,” Vanguard reported.

In a third reported case, Vanguard said a Panama-flagged container vessel built in 2008 was fired upon approximately six nautical miles off the Iranian coast while transiting southbound through the Strait of Hormuz.

The vessel was reportedly hailed on VHF by the IRGC and instructed to drop anchor. The master reported damage to both the hull and accommodation areas.

As of the time of writing, UKMTO had not yet issued a report on this incident.

Ceasefire extension

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said on social media on 21 April that the United States would extend its ceasefire with Iran at Pakistan’s request, while continuing the blockade of Iranian ports. No further details were provided.

The US and Iran had agreed to a two-week ceasefire on 8 April, which was due to expire on 22 April.

A separate 10-day truce between Israel and Lebanon was announced on 16 April. The following day, Tehran declared the Strait of Hormuz fully open, before closing it again as the US maintained its expanded blockade along Iran’s coastline.

Since then, the US has signalled that peace talks could take place in Islamabad, although Iran has not confirmed its participation.