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Turkish Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu said Wednesday that 15 Turkish-owned ships remain in the Strait of Hormuz as the regional conflict continues to disrupt maritime traffic.
Speaking to reporters before the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) parliamentary group meeting, Uraloglu said authorities are maintaining contact with the crews.
“There are 15 Turkish-owned ships in the Strait of Hormuz. We are in contact with all their personnel,” he said.
“They are at a waiting point. Their only difficulty is being there; otherwise, there is no problem in meeting their needs,” he added.
Regional tensions have escalated since Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Iran on Feb. 28.
The strikes have killed over 1,200 people, including former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq and several Gulf countries hosting U.S. military assets.
Tehran also effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz around March 1. The strategic waterway normally handles about 20 million barrels of oil shipments daily and roughly 20% of the global liquefied natural gas trade.
Analysts warn that a prolonged closure of the strait, which carries roughly 20% of global oil and gas supplies and a third of fertilizer shipments used in food production, could severely impact the global economy, particularly in Asia and Europe.
Maritime incidents have also been reported in the area.
A Thai-flagged cargo ship, MAYUREE NAREE, was reportedly fired upon near the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, according to local media citing the Thai Navy.
The vessel was struck near its stern while sailing in waters near Oman, the Thai Enquirer reported.
Thai admiral Thadawut Thatpitakkul said naval personnel stationed in Bahrain coordinated with Omani authorities to assist the ship’s 23 crew members.
Twenty crew members were rescued while three remained aboard the vessel as authorities checked for injuries. No deaths were reported.
Two other ships were also targeted in the strait.
One sustained damage from “a suspected but unknown projectile,” according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), though all crew members were reported safe.
Another vessel was hit by an “unknown projectile” about 50 nautical miles northwest of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, UKMTO said, adding that there were no reports of environmental damage and the crew remained safe.
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