March 11, 2026 saw the most intense surge of maritime violence since hostilities erupted in the Gulf, with at least five commercial vessels struck in coordinated attacks spanning the Strait of Hormuz, waters near the United Arab Emirates, and Iraqi territorial waters. According to maritime intelligence compiled by Windward Maritime AI and reported across multiple outlets including Bloomberg, CNBC, USNI News, Seatrade Maritime, and TradeWinds, the incidents bring the total number of vessels attacked since February 28 to at least 16 ships.
Hormuz Transit at Near-Standstill
Vessel movement through the Strait of Hormuz has effectively ground to a halt. According to Windward Maritime AI Platform data, just two outbound crossings were recorded on March 11 — a 33% decline from the previous day — and no inbound transits were observed at all. The seven-day crossing average stands at 2.57, reflecting the sustained collapse in traffic since U.S.–Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28 triggered widespread disruption to commercial shipping across the Gulf, as reported by Windward.
The withdrawal of insurance coverage for Gulf operations, combined with direct vessel attacks and escalating military confrontation, has all but closed the chokepoint to normal commercial activity.
Vessels Struck — March 11 Incidents
MAYUREE NAREE
The most severe strike of the day involved the Thailand-flagged bulk carrier MAYUREE NAREE. As reported by Bloomberg, the vessel was hit by Iranian projectiles approximately 11 nautical miles north of Oman while transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The strike ignited a stern engine-room fire that disabled propulsion, and all crew were evacuated — though three crew members were initially reported missing and believed to be trapped in the engine room at the time of the incident. The vessel had departed Khalifa Port in the UAE and was bound for Kandla, India.
Windward Maritime AI Platform data also showed that the MAYUREE NAREE had exhibited extensive dark activity in the nine days prior to the attack, including anomalous AIS speed readings between 81 and 101 knots — behaviour consistent with AIS spoofing or signal manipulation, according to Windward.
ONE MAJESTY
As reported by Seatrade Maritime, the Japan-flagged container ship ONE MAJESTY was struck by a projectile roughly 25 nautical miles northwest of Ras Al Khaimah. The vessel sustained minor hull damage, including a breach of approximately 10 centimetres above the waterline. ONE MAJESTY remains seaworthy and was proceeding to a safe anchorage following the incident.
STAR GWYNETH
The Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier STAR GWYNETH was struck approximately 50 nautical miles northwest of Dubai, sustaining a two-metre hull breach in its forward cargo hold and damage to a ballast tank, according to TradeWinds. The vessel was forced to anchor for inspection. All crew members were reported safe aboard. The ship had departed Iran’s Imam Khomeini port nine days before the attack, following a 12-day port call there — a detail that Windward notes may indicate heightened exposure for vessels with recent operational ties to Iranian ports during the conflict.
SAFESEA VISHNU and ZEFYROS — Basra STS Attack
In the most lethal incident of the day, two crude oil tankers were attacked while conducting a ship-to-ship transfer operation in Iraqi waters near the Basra offshore STS zone, approximately five nautical miles south of Al Basrah. As reported by Seatrade Maritime, the vessels were identified as SAFESEA VISHNU — a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker owned by U.S.-based Safesea Transport Group — and ZEFYROS, a Malta-flagged tanker linked to Greek shipping interests.
According to maritime security reporting cited by Windward, explosive-laden Iranian surface vessels struck both tankers, triggering large fires onboard. One Indian crew member aboard SAFESEA VISHNU was killed in the blast. Iraqi Coast Guard units evacuated surviving crew members from both vessels.
The severity of the attack prompted Iraqi authorities and the State Organization for Marketing of Oil (SOMO) to immediately suspend export terminal operations.
SAFE SIA
Iranian media, as cited by Trend.az, reported that a Marshall Islands-flagged, U.S.-owned tanker named SAFE SIA was struck in the northern Persian Gulf after allegedly disregarding warnings issued by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy. Details surrounding this incident remain limited and are still being independently verified.
IRGC Warnings and Escalation Pattern
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has continued to issue warnings that commercial vessels operating in Gulf waters risk being targeted if military operations against Iran continue. According to Windward’s reporting, IRGC officials have specifically cited vessels perceived to be connected to the United States, Israel, or their partners as being at heightened risk.
Alternative Routes Absorb Displaced Traffic
As movement through Hormuz collapses, vessel flows are being redistributed across alternate global corridors.
Bab el-Mandeb
Transit volumes through Bab el-Mandeb jumped sharply on March 11, with 26 crossings recorded — a 62.5% increase on the previous day and above the seven-day average of 23.3 crossings, according to Windward data. Traffic included six bulk carriers, five crude oil tankers, and four oil products tankers. Liberia led flag distribution with seven vessels, followed by Panama (six) and the Marshall Islands (three).
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal recorded 44 crossings on March 11, representing a 63% increase from the prior day and well above the seven-day average of 35.29 crossings, per Windward Maritime AI data. Cargo types included 10 bulk carriers, six crude oil tankers, and five oil/chemical tankers.
Cape of Good Hope
Traffic around the Cape of Good Hope remained elevated, with 86 crossings recorded on March 11 — a 7.5% increase from the day before and broadly in line with the seven-day average of 82.43, according to Windward. Bulk carriers accounted for the majority of vessels, followed by container ships and crude tankers. These sustained volumes confirm that the Africa diversion route remains an active alternative to Middle Eastern transit corridors.
Iranian Crude Exports Collapse at Kharg Island
Iran’s primary crude export terminal at Kharg Island has seen a dramatic decline in throughput since hostilities began. According to Windward Maritime AI, average daily export volumes dropped from approximately 2.04 million barrels per day between February 1 and February 27, to roughly 0.98 million barrels per day between February 28 and March 12 — representing a 51.7% reduction.
Windward’s Remote Sensing Intelligence also reveals that tankers servicing Kharg Island are increasingly relying on AIS suppression and location spoofing to conceal export activity. Six Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs) linked to the terminal have demonstrated deceptive tracking behaviour since the start of the conflict.
Satellite imagery from March 7 confirmed three vessels — HEDY, NORA, and PING SHUN — to be either docked or waiting near the terminal, despite their AIS signals broadcasting different locations. NORA has transmitted no AIS since February 14, DANIEL since February 22, and HEDY since February 24, according to Windward. Meanwhile, PING SHUN was found to be broadcasting a circular movement pattern in the Gulf of Oman while satellite imagery confirmed its presence at Kharg, before departing the terminal on March 10. STAR FOREST transmitted a linear track across the Iran–Kuwait–Iraq EEZ triangle while showing no corresponding physical movement, per the same intelligence source.
Saudi Arabia Accelerates Red Sea Export Pivot
With Hormuz effectively closed to normal traffic, Saudi Arabia is rapidly scaling up crude exports through an overland alternative. As reported by CNBC, OilPrice.com, and Middle East Eye, Arab Light crude is being pumped through the 1,200-kilometre Petroline pipeline from eastern production fields to the Red Sea export terminal at Yanbu, allowing shipments to bypass the Strait of Hormuz entirely.
According to Windward data, a fleet of 27 Very Large Crude Carriers is currently signalling Yanbu as their destination, with each vessel carrying approximately two million barrels of crude. Loading schedules indicate continuous activity, with one vessel arriving immediately, 21 VLCCs expected to load by March 21, and five additional vessels slated for arrival between March 22 and March 25.
Ownership within the fleet is heavily concentrated among state-linked operators: approximately 46% of vessels are owned by Saudi Arabia’s Bahri, while 32% are controlled by China’s COSCO, with independent operators accounting for the remainder.
The rerouting has driven a sharp rise in charter costs. Yanbu-to-Asia VLCC voyage rates have climbed to approximately $460,000 per day — among the highest on record for this route, per Windward.
Port Operations Under Strain
Operational disruptions increased across Gulf and near-Gulf ports on March 11, according to Windward Maritime AI data.
Inside the Gulf:
- Jebel Ali, UAE: 8 late departures; 25 transshipment rollovers (+316.67% versus the previous day); 25 transshipment delays (+101.15% versus the seven-day average)
- Hamad, Qatar: 3 late departures (+200% versus the previous day)
- Shuwaikh, Kuwait: 2 late departures; 2 transshipment rollovers
Outside the Gulf:
- Karachi, Pakistan: 5 late departures; transshipment delays up 300% versus the weekly average
- Salalah, Oman: 11 late departures; 8 rollovers; 88 transshipment delay cases (+343% versus the weekly average)
These figures point to growing operational strain across Gulf and near-Gulf logistics networks.
Outlook
Maritime risk across the Gulf and surrounding waterways remains at an extreme level following the March 11 attacks. Commercial vessels are now being targeted across a wide range of operational contexts — during transit, at anchor, and during ship-to-ship transfer operations.
Iranian authorities have also signalled the possibility of naval mine deployments within the Strait of Hormuz, which, if confirmed, could render the chokepoint temporarily inaccessible to commercial shipping altogether, according to Windward’s outlook assessment.
Operators active in the region should anticipate continued disruption to vessel movement, elevated war-risk insurance exposure, and the ongoing risk of direct attack while the conflict remains active.
Gulf Bunkering does not provide operational or security guidance. This article is for informational purposes only. Operators should consult flag state authorities, P&I clubs, and relevant advisories for decisions relating to transit planning.
