• Iran has reportedly seized two container vessels operated by MSC Mediterranean Shipping after they were hit by gunfire in the Strait of Hormuz, according to industry sources.
• The captured ships have been identified as the Panama-flagged MSC Francesca and Epaminodes, while a third vessel, Euphoria, was also reportedly attacked.
Iranian state media indicated that the vessels were targeted by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), with two seized and one left stranded.
In a statement, the IRGC claimed the ships had “allegedly operated without authorisation, repeatedly violated regulations, manipulated navigational aid systems and sought to covertly exit the Strait of Hormuz, endangering maritime security.”
The incident was reported by IAM (International Association of Movers), which advised its members to review freight bookings to assess potential shipment impacts. MSC had previously transited four vessels through the Strait successfully over the same weekend.
According to reporting by the New York Post, the event followed heightened geopolitical tensions in the region, with three vessels hit by Iranian gunfire.
“Iranian state TV also reported that two of the vessels had been seized by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), while semiofficial news agencies reported the third vessel was “stranded” on the Iranian coast. The captured ships were identified as the Panama-flagged MSC Francesca and the Epaminodes. The third vessel was identified as the Euphoria.”
The post Iran seizes MSC container vessels in Strait of Hormuz amid rising tensions appeared first on Air Cargo Week.
