Fifteen Turkish-owned vessels remain stranded in the blockaded Strait of Hormuz, Türkiye’s Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu said on Wednesday.
“There are 15 Turkish-owned ships in the Strait of Hormuz,” Uraloğlu said ahead of a meeting with lawmakers.
“We are in contact with all their personnel,” he added.
The minister made the remarks amid an ongoing war in the Middle East, now in its second week, which has already caused unprecedented disruption to regional maritime traffic.
Speaking to reporters, Uraloğlu stressed that Turkish authorities remain in close contact with the crews of the 15 stranded vessels.
“They are at a waiting point,” he said. “Their only difficulty is being there. Otherwise, there is no problem meeting their needs.”
Since 28 February, when Israel and the U.S. launched a joint military attack on Iran, Tehran has effectively closed the strategic Strait of Hormuz, which links the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman.
On Thursday, Iran’s military declared that it was in full control of the strait and would not allow any vessels associated with the U.S. or its “partners” to transit the vital waterway.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most critical chokepoints for the transport of fossil fuels.
Under normal circumstances, roughly 20 per cent of the world’s oil shipments - along with a significant share of liquefied natural gas exports - pass through the strait every day.
Major regional oil and gas producers - including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates - rely heavily on the waterway to transport energy supplies to global markets.
The ongoing regional war has sparked fears that the prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz could trigger global energy price spikes and further destabilise an already volatile Middle East.
On Thursday, the International Energy Agency said the conflict - which shows little sign of ending soon - had already caused the largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market.
Hundreds of thousands of deep-diving turtles, known as olive ridley sea turtles, have arrived on Mexico’s southern coast for one of nature&rs...
U.S. President Donald Trump has again said Iran is keen to reach a deal quickly, but a senior Iranian security official rejected the claim, saying ...
A drone hit a petrol station in Ukraine's capital of Kyiv early on Tuesday, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on the...
Maritime trackers received new reports of an attack on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), adding to concerns about energy supplies after Saudi Arabia shut down a vital oil pipeline on Saturday.
A Kyiv-Warsaw train was struck near the Polish border, Ukraine's state railway firm said on Sunday. No passengers were injured. Ukrainian Railways said that the country's railways were facing systematic attacks for a second day and warned of widespread delays.
U.S. Central Command said 101 commercial vessels have been redirected in the Strait of Hormuz, while oil prices rose more than three per cent amid fresh regional attacks and supply concerns.
A Russian strike on a farm warehouse in Pryluky, north-central Ukraine, has killed at least three people, local police said. Meanwhile, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said an attack on a train near the Polish border was an attempt to intimidate Ukraine's allies.
U.S. President Donald Trump has again said Iran is keen to reach a deal quickly, but a senior Iranian security official rejected the claim, saying Tehran will not negotiate until its conditions are met.
Syria says it has taken major steps to resolve long-running concerns over its nuclear programme, marking what officials describe as the beginning of a new phase of cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Georgia has been formally integrated into the European Union's Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), bringing Anaklia Deep-Sea Port, Georgian Railway's main line and the East-West Highway into the network's expanded framework.
Türkiye’s foreign minister has renewed calls for the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to disarm and disband, during talks with Syrian officials in Damascus.
Pakistan is providing targeted relief to millions of people after a sharp rise in global oil prices pushed domestic petrol and diesel prices higher, with disruption around two major Middle East shipping routes adding pressure to the country’s energy supply chain.
The European Union and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) have launched a $5.7 million initiative in Afghanistan to help farmers reach markets, strengthen agribusinesses and withstand climate and economic shocks.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment