A British flagged tanker appears to have been stopped off the Iranian coast.

**UPDATE: Officials confirm that the Pacific Voyager is “safe & well” & “stopped to adjust its ETA into Saudi Arabia”**

‘Not under command’ means the ship is not able to manoeuvre. It is not a distress signal, but it can indicate a problem. https://t.co/eD45jw50yJ https://t.co/tBFdD9RA5m

The 160,000 tonne crude oil carrying vessel has declared itself ‘Not Under Command’.

Under Part A of the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS), the term “vessel not under command” means a vessel which through some exceptional circumstance is unable to manoeuvre as required by these Rules and is therefore unable to keep out of the way of another vessel. The most common causes of this are mechanical failure and piracy.

This comes not long after Iran threatened to seize a British oil tanker.

Earlier, the Gibraltar government (Gibraltar is a British Overseas Territory) said it had reasonable grounds to believe that the Grace 1 was carrying crude oil to the Baniyas refinery in Syria.

Mohsen Rezai, a senior commander in Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Twitter:

“If the UK doesn’t return the Iranian tanker, the duty of responsible bodies is to seize a British oil tanker in a retaliatory measure.”

Iran’s Foreign Ministry summoned the British ambassador to voice ‘its very strong objection to the illegal and unacceptable seizure’ of its ship earlier in the week.

George Allison
George Allison
George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison
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27 COMMENTS

  2. Hopefully this is just an easily fixed mechanical issue. But, as the OP makes clear, the timing and location are fortuitous for the Iranians if they chose to exploit the situation.

    I wonder if the locally based T23 or one of the MCMV’s is making best speed toward the tanker, just in case? Fast roping some RM onboard is a possibility as well.

  3. If ever there was a case for increasing the number of merlins that can rapidly deploy from say an LPH with teams of marines… having said that…. Last place on planet you want anybody taking a pop shot… Especially if on way out of gulf with full cargo.

  5. If The UK has not immediatly taken precautions to defend British Tankers sailing thro Homuz then we need kicking. But wouldnt be surprised at the incompetance of our MOD . A small Marine force should be embarked on those tankers to see off any Iran attack

    • Exactly my thoughts. If a direct threat from the Iranians to take a British tanker isn’t reason to take action what is?

      • Well if you feel it justifies that UK can dictate with the USA who can do business with who…I say attack Iran…Then A bomb Iran as many ships and fighter jets will be lost.. Enjoy China and Russia war after that…Or rethink as Iran are not Arabs and you will suffer heavy.

        • “Iran are not Arabs and you will suffer heavy?”
          The Iranians do not have any history of successful military operations. They did not manage to win a war against Iraq despite outnumbering them. Their Navy and Air Force were embarrassingly defeated inside of a day during Praying Mantis. The only difference between Iraq and Iran is one of size. Meaning the far greater number of their smoking corpses and twisted remains of their equipment at the end of the bombing.
          The biggest inconvenience would be the expenditure of ordnance.
          If you think Russians who eat pork and drink vodka are going to die for the Mullahs of Iran you are deluded.
          Do you really think the Chinese are going to wage a war where they would either have to cross the Gobi desert and half of the Stans countries or travel by sea through the Straits of Malacca. With the ocean controlled by the USN and infested with submarines. Try selling that course of action to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. Good luck with that! Communist after a fashion they are, suicidal they are not.

          • Sure Elliot USA is superman look how they have succeeded in Iraq and Afghanistan ect. You should look at your own police state that commits war crimes and silences the journalists that report on it..Well the mighty USA believes in democracy so who voted the USA to be the dictator of the world? The fiat dollar is coming to a end and the world sees you as a bunch of clowns.

    • Well it clearly had the potential to be. Anyways, (unfortunately) there isn’t massive UK Defence news all the time, sometimes it will be more out there. The people that run this site do a good job. Click off if you don’t like it.

      • Been on here a few weeks, Seen enough already. One Twat had a full on Meltdown. A Regular Clusterfuck of “Know it all” types I will indeed “Click Off” Charlie. Have fun with your Self Importance.

        • Sorry you feel like that. Not trying to be a “know it all type” (hell I got burnt on another post for mistaking sterling for dollars, I can’t talk), just stating what I thought was obvious. Either way I don’t think there is cause here to be calling people things like that. All the best.

  7. Shame sea venom has let to equip the wildcat. RFA Argus based in the gulf with a few venom armed wildcats and and a couple of marine carrying merlins would pose a significant and practical deterrent to any ille intentions iran may have.

  8. get a warship from the anti piracy squadron to investigate and if needed intervene, because sometime soon something IS GOING TO HAPPEN.

  9. get ‘big lizzie ‘bombed up ‘ and ready to roll, and a proper group around her lets see what a u.k battlegroup looks like r.f.a behind the carrier with sea ceptor fitted type23 two more 23’s on the flanks, a type 45 in front of the carrier ans 1-2 astutes, and if the ‘mad mullahs’ want to try it on, let them see how good it is the u.k should not allow itself to appear impotent in the face of these issues

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