Indian oil tanker 'Sanmar Herald', once attacked by IRGC, crosses Hormuz with two other ships

The Sanmar Herald (IMO: 9330563), an Indian-flagged crude oil tanker, is finally en route to India after crossing the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday—about two months after it was attacked by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The vessel, with 30 Indian crew members onboard, is scheduled to reach the Paradip Port in Odisha on July 1, carrying with it 285,400 metric tonnes (MT) of crude, sources told THE WEEK.

The two other Indian-flagged supertankers that have also transited the strait include the Desh Vibhor (IMO: 9610298) and the Desh Vaibhav (IMO: 9297498).

While the former departed from the Port of Al Rams with 288,893 MT and is headed for Gujarat's Sikka Port, the Desh Vaibhav left from the Port of Al Basrah carrying 286,572 MT for Gujarat's Vadinar Port.

Both of these Indian-crewed ships will reach their respective ports on June 24, the sources said.

The Sanmar Herald U-turn

These developments come two months after the IRGC on April 18 reportedly attacked the vessel during its previous attempt to transit the Strait of Hormuz amid the war in the Gulf.

The incident, which came as a part of Iran's response to the US naval blockade in the embattled strait, saw IRGC vessels allegedly fire at the Sanmar Herald and the Indian-flagged bulk carrier Jag Arnav (IMO: 9705354).

Iranian state media later confimed that the shots had been fired against both ships in an attempt to force them to take U-turns in the Persian Gulf.

After the tanker was forced to turn back, an audio clip of one of the members comunicating with the Sepah Navy (the IRGC's naval force) went viral.

"Sepah Navy. Sepah Navy. This is a motor tanker, Sanmar Herald. You gave me clearance to go. My name is second on your list. You are firing now. Let me turn back," the crew member of the ship could be heard saying in the clip, shared by TankerTrackers.

Tehran's envoy to India, Dr Mohammad Fathali, was then summoned for a meeting on April 19 after the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) lodged a strong protest with Iran over the matter.

"Reiterating his concern at this serious incident of firing on merchant ships, the Foreign Secretary urged the Ambassador to convey India's views to the authorities in Iran and resume at the earliest the process of facilitating India-bound ships across the Strait," the MEA had said in a statement.