The UK Maritime Trade Operations received a delayed report of a maritime security incident on Thursday in which the master of a tanker heard two explosions near Oman in the Strait of Hormuz. Arab Times reported that the event occurred approximately nine nautical miles southeast of Kumzar with the crew and vessel both confirmed safe. No environmental damage was observed and the cause of the explosions remained unknown according to the initial notification. UKMTO directed all vessels in the area to exercise heightened caution and report any suspicious activity to maritime security authorities immediately.
The UKMTO notice emphasized the need for vigilance in the Strait of Hormuz a narrow passage that links the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and carries a substantial share of global seaborne energy trade. US Energy Information Administration figures show that total oil flows through the strait averaged 20.9 million barrels per day in the first half of 2025. That volume represented about 20 percent of global petroleum liquids consumption and one quarter of all seaborne traded oil according to the same data. The waterway’s strategic value has drawn consistent attention from maritime agencies.
Reuters reported that UKMTO had documented several tanker-related incidents off Oman’s Musandam Peninsula in the days leading up to Thursday’s advisory. One event approximately 11 nautical miles northeast of Lima involved a tanker struck by an unidentified projectile that damaged its engine room and left the ship not under command with no casualties or pollution recorded. A second report concerned a tanker 21 nautical miles northeast of Khasab where the master observed a large splash and explosion in close proximity yet sustained no damage. These accounts align with the pattern of UKMTO notifications for the region.
Kumzar lies on Oman’s Musandam Peninsula near Khasab and Lima at the entrance to the strait where maritime traffic converges. The UKMTO operates as the primary coordinator for such alerts drawing on reports from vessel masters and other sources to inform commercial shipping. Its latest advisory follows a series of similar warnings issued in recent weeks for the same waters. Omani and international authorities have not released further details on the Thursday event.
Visual Capitalist analysis of trade data indicates that China receives nearly 38 percent of the oil exported through the Strait of Hormuz while India South Korea and Japan account for significant additional shares. Saudi Arabia supplies the largest portion of crude and condensate at 37.2 percent of the total with Iraq the United Arab Emirates Iran and Kuwait together making up more than 90 percent of those volumes according to the breakdown. These flows underscore the waterway’s central role in supplying Asian markets. UKMTO continues to monitor the situation and update advisories as new information emerges.
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