By: Sea trade maritime news

Iran confirmed it seized Marshall Islands-flagged tanker Talara in the Strait of Hormuz on November 14, alleging that the ship was carrying “unauthorised cargo”.

The status of the crew is currently unknown.

Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy issued a statement claiming responsibility for the incident, according to state news agency IRNA. An “operation was carried out in line with legal duties and to protect the national interests and resources of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the Navy said.

The tanker is said to be loaded with 30,000 tonnes of “petrochemical materials”, understood to be gasoil, and was on a voyage from Sharjah to Singapore. The IRGC Navy said it had monitored the vessel since Friday morning as a court had issued an order for its seizure.

Maritime security company Ambrey said the ship was approached by three small vessels before making a sudden course deviation.

A UKMTO warning of an incident 20 nm East of Khor Fakkan, Sharjah, at 0430 hrs on 14 November was updated as suspected state activity as the ship transited towards Iranian waters.

According to Equasis, 2010-built Talara is the sole vessel owned by Pasha Finance, and is managed by Columbia Shipmanagement and flagged in The Marshall Islands.

In April 2014, Iran seized 15,000 teu container ship MSC Aries for its ties to Israel. The crew of MSC Aries was released by Iran around three weeks after the ship was seized.