Three container vessels—Epaminondas, Eurphoria, and MSC Francesca—came under fire by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy in the Strait of Hormuz within a span of several hours. All three vessels are affiliated with Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), either through ownership or charter.

According to maritime security firm Vanguard Tech, the Panama-flagged MSC Francesca was engaged by IRGC forces approximately 6 nautical miles off Iran’s southern coast while transiting southbound through the Strait. The vessel reportedly received a VHF radio instruction from the IRGC to drop anchor; subsequent assessment confirmed hull and accommodation damage.

The IRGC Navy announced via Iran’s Fars News Agency that it had seized both Epaminondas and MSC Francesca and escorted them to Iranian territorial waters near Sirik. AIS data corroborates that both vessels remained stationary for an extended period approximately 3–5 nautical miles west of Sirik. The IRGC cited unauthorized navigation and deliberate manipulation of Automatic Identification System (AIS) signals as grounds for intervention, asserting that the vessels posed risks to regional maritime security.

In a separate incident, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) issued an alert reporting that an outbound cargo vessel—later identified by Vanguard Tech as the Panama-flagged Eurphoria—was fired upon at 06:38 UTC, approximately 8 nautical miles west of Iran’s coastline. The master reported no injuries among crew members and no structural damage to the vessel. AIS tracking indicates that Eurphoria subsequently resumed transit in the Gulf of Oman.

Notably, Linerlytica previously reported that six MSC-operated vessels—including Epaminondas and MSC Francesca—had transited the Strait with AIS transponders deliberately deactivated. As of Linerlytica’s 21 April report, the real-time positions of Epaminondas and MSC Francesca could not be verified due to the absence of AIS transmissions.

In light of escalating incidents, UKMTO reiterated its advisory: “UKMTO is aware of heightened naval activity in the Strait of Hormuz and urges all vessels to maintain vigilance and promptly report any suspicious behavior.”

Resource.: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/ppr_Co8yt8MtNX6OfmiZpg