Advantage Sweet was travelling to Houston, Texas, when it was seized. Photo: Advantage Tankers LLC
Advantage Sweet was travelling to Houston, Texas, when it was seized. Photo: Advantage Tankers LLC
Advantage Sweet was travelling to Houston, Texas, when it was seized. Photo: Advantage Tankers LLC
Advantage Sweet was travelling to Houston, Texas, when it was seized. Photo: Advantage Tankers LLC

Iran’s IRGC seizes Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker in Gulf of Oman


Holly Johnston
  • English
  • Arabic

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has seized a tanker in the Gulf of Oman, it was reported on Thursday.

The Advantage Sweet oil tanker, flagged under the Marshall Islands, sent a distress call and the US Fifth Naval Fleet is monitoring the situation, naval command said in a statement.

The 270-metre vessel was en route to Houston, Texas, when it was intercepted, tracking website MarineTraffic reported. It left Mina Saud Port on the south coast of Kuwait on Tuesday.

The ship is owned by Advantage Tankers LLC.

The IRGC’s actions are “contrary to international law and disruptive to regional security and stability”, US Naval Command added, calling on Iran to “immediately release” the vessel.

“Iran’s continued harassment of vessels and interference with navigational rights in regional waters are a threat to maritime security and the global economy,” Washington said.

Iran's army said in a statement to the Tasnim News Agency that a ship had been seized after two people were missing and others injured in an "accident between an unknown ship and an Iranian vessel".

It said the unknown ship, which had a Marshall Islands flag, had "acted against the international regulations to help the vessel and the injured".

US Central Command chief Gen Michael Kurilla called the seizure "another in a continuing series of violations by Iran of the international rules-based order".

"This kind of harassing activity is commensurate with an established pattern of Iranian behaviour that places the security and the stability of the Middle East at risk," Gen Kurilla added.

It comes only a week after the US sailed its first drone boat through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, often the site of tensions between Washington and Tehran.

The Fifth Fleet launched a special drone task force last year, aiming to have about 100 unmanned drones, sailing and submersible, operating in the region alongside America’s allies.

Iran briefly seized several of the US drones being tested in the region in late August and early September, although there have been no similar incidents since.

The Fifth Fleet said the Iranian seizure was at least the fifth commercial vessel taken by Tehran in the past two years.

While you're here
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi

Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.

Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en

Company%20Profile
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The specs

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Power: 502hp at 7,600rpm

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Other ways to buy used products in the UAE

UAE insurance firm Al Wathba National Insurance Company (AWNIC) last year launched an e-commerce website with a facility enabling users to buy car wrecks.

Bidders and potential buyers register on the online salvage car auction portal to view vehicles, review condition reports, or arrange physical surveys, and then start bidding for motors they plan to restore or harvest for parts.

Physical salvage car auctions are a common method for insurers around the world to move on heavily damaged vehicles, but AWNIC is one of the few UAE insurers to offer such services online.

For cars and less sizeable items such as bicycles and furniture, Dubizzle is arguably the best-known marketplace for pre-loved.

Founded in 2005, in recent years it has been joined by a plethora of Facebook community pages for shifting used goods, including Abu Dhabi Marketplace, Flea Market UAE and Arabian Ranches Souq Market while sites such as The Luxury Closet and Riot deal largely in second-hand fashion.

At the high-end of the pre-used spectrum, resellers such as Timepiece360.ae, WatchBox Middle East and Watches Market Dubai deal in authenticated second-hand luxury timepieces from brands such as Rolex, Hublot and Tag Heuer, with a warranty.

Seven tips from Emirates NBD

1. Never respond to e-mails, calls or messages asking for account, card or internet banking details

2. Never store a card PIN (personal identification number) in your mobile or in your wallet

3. Ensure online shopping websites are secure and verified before providing card details

4. Change passwords periodically as a precautionary measure

5. Never share authentication data such as passwords, card PINs and OTPs  (one-time passwords) with third parties

6. Track bank notifications regarding transaction discrepancies

7. Report lost or stolen debit and credit cards immediately

THE BIO

Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979

Education: UAE University, Al Ain

Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6

Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma

Favourite book: Science and geology

Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC

Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.

MATCH INFO

World Cup 2022 qualifier

UAE v Indonesia, Thursday, 8pm

Venue: Al Maktoum Stadium, Dubai

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Types of policy

Term life insurance: this is the cheapest and most-popular form of life cover. You pay a regular monthly premium for a pre-agreed period, typically anything between five and 25 years, or possibly longer. If you die within that time, the policy will pay a cash lump sum, which is typically tax-free even outside the UAE. If you die after the policy ends, you do not get anything in return. There is no cash-in value at any time. Once you stop paying premiums, cover stops.

Whole-of-life insurance: as its name suggests, this type of life cover is designed to run for the rest of your life. You pay regular monthly premiums and in return, get a guaranteed cash lump sum whenever you die. As a result, premiums are typically much higher than one term life insurance, although they do not usually increase with age. In some cases, you have to keep up premiums for as long as you live, although there may be a cut-off period, say, at age 80 but it can go as high as 95. There are penalties if you don’t last the course and you may get a lot less than you paid in.

Critical illness cover: this pays a cash lump sum if you suffer from a serious illness such as cancer, heart disease or stroke. Some policies cover as many as 50 different illnesses, although cancer triggers by far the most claims. The payout is designed to cover major financial responsibilities such as a mortgage or children’s education fees if you fall ill and are unable to work. It is cost effective to combine it with life insurance, with the policy paying out once if you either die or suffer a serious illness.

Income protection: this pays a replacement income if you fall ill and are unable to continue working. On the best policies, this will continue either until you recover, or reach retirement age. Unlike critical illness cover, policies will typically pay out for stress and musculoskeletal problems such as back trouble.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The biog

Favourite book: Men are from Mars Women are from Venus

Favourite travel destination: Ooty, a hill station in South India

Hobbies: Cooking. Biryani, pepper crab are her signature dishes

Favourite place in UAE: Marjan Island

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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
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The biog

Name: Sarah Al Senaani

Age: 35

Martial status: Married with three children - aged 8, 6 and 2

Education: Masters of arts in cultural communication and tourism

Favourite movie: Captain Corelli’s Mandolin

Favourite hobbies: Art and horseback ridding

Occupation: Communication specialist at a government agency and the owner of Atelier

Favourite cuisine: Definitely Emirati - harees is my favourite dish

The specs

AT4 Ultimate, as tested

Engine: 6.2-litre V8

Power: 420hp

Torque: 623Nm

Transmission: 10-speed automatic

Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)

On sale: Now

Specs

Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric

Range: Up to 610km

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Updated: April 27, 2023, 7:01 PM