A new report from the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) shows that most damaged ships in the Strait of Hormuz do not report attacks directly to this organization. This lack of reporting raises doubts about the actual statistics on attacks on ships in this vital waterway.
Increase in Attacks and Ambiguity in Statistics
In the weekly report released by UKMTO on Friday, the agency stated that it is working to determine the actual number of attacks, as most targeted ships have refrained from providing reports. This situation fuels increasing questions about the public statistics on attacks, especially following a sharp rise in attacks on commercial ships in the past two weeks.
Read more: Second Attack on Ships in the Persian Gulf in Recent Days
UKMTO referred to 12 attacks in the recent reporting period, which included 10 attacks in the Strait of Hormuz, one in the Arabian Gulf, and one in the Sea of Oman. Of the 12 damaged ships, six continued their journey or reached port, while two ships were halted due to uncontrollable damage, and three ships had damage or invalid results. One of the ships, a Singapore-flagged container ship named GFS Pride, was lost after being hit by a projectile.
Discrepancy in Ship Traffic Statistics
While UKMTO statistics indicate a decrease in ship traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. military officials point to control over this waterway and high traffic levels. In a video statement, Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command, stated that American forces and regional partners have full control over the Strait of Hormuz and that this waterway remains open for trade.
According to UKMTO statistics, in the seven days leading up to October 14, 254 ship movements were recorded, including 129 inbound and 125 outbound movements. This number has decreased from the previous week, which had 275 movements, and the traffic levels are approximately 70% below pre-conflict levels.
This discrepancy in statistics and various reports reflects the increasing complexity of security in commercial shipping in this region, and while American forces continue to facilitate traffic in this waterway, Iran continues to demonstrate its capability to attack ships.
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