Hormuz traffic near standstill as Dynacom ships targeted

The Kavomaleas reappeared in the Strait of Hormuz along the Omani coast early July 20 indicating that it's at anchor. (Bloomberg)

Iranian attacks on tankers and escalating U.S. strikes appear to have brought traffic to a standstill in the Strait of Hormuz, as two vessels controlled by one of the industry’s boldest shipowners were hit.

An oil supertanker called the Acheloos, and a smaller fuel tanker, were both struck in the waterway, according to Dynacom Tankers Management Ltd., the ships’ manager. Public reporting by freighters of their navigation through the waterway has all but halted as owners and crews do anything they can to avoid attack.

The attacks on vessels controlled by Dynacom — which has made a reputation during the crisis for finding ways through the strait even when others couldn’t or wouldn’t — will unnerve the industry and underlines just how perilous the crossing has become since the recent escalation of violence on both sides.

On July 19, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps issued a statement that four vessels switched off their transponders and attempted to transit Hormuz via an “unsafe route” after disregarding warnings. Two were “met with accidents and were stopped in their tracks,” Iranian media reported, citing the IRGC.

A flare-up in violence in the Middle East has raised concerns about deepening disruptions to crucial energy flows — including liquefied natural gas — from the Persian Gulf to global customers. Oil and European gas prices jumped on July 20 after the weekend attacks before paring gains.

The targeting of vessels will likely raise fresh concerns over the safety of ships transiting Hormuz while hugging the Omani coast. Iran has approved a route further to the north that runs close to its coastline.

Brand new LR1 from Dynacom on fire in Omani waters.

The new business as usual.

Dynacom product tanker was struck and set alight by a double strike of the coast of Oman on Monday during an apparent attempt to transit the Strait of Hormuz.

The attack eight nautical miles (15 km)… https://t.co/JjQ3EvLnXY — Yet another commodity guy (@tleilax___) July 20, 2026

Among observable transits, a Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier was among the few vessels that appeared to attempt passage, turning off its transponder while approaching the strait near Oman from the Persian Gulf, according to ship-tracking data. 

A liquefied petroleum gas carrier that’s been marked as being part of the dark fleet involved in Iranian exports also appeared to approach the strait. 

Another bulk carrier that’s registered with Marshall Islands began signaling from the Gulf of Oman after indicating that it was in the Persian Gulf early July 19, suggesting that it had crossed Hormuz with its transponder off.

Despite the collapse in visible transits tracking ships Automatic Identification System signals, some ships may well be transiting dark, meaning that the full scale of traffic may take months or even weeks to emerge.

Projectile

The U.K. Maritime Trade Operations said it had a received a report of an incident northwest of Kumzar, Oman, in which a vessel was on fire after being struck by an unknown projectile. The blaze hasn’t been extinguished and the ship is adrift, UKTMO said in a statement, without identifying the vessel.

The Kavomaleas started signaling that it was anchored near the tip of Oman’s Musandam Peninsula on July 20. The previous broadcast from the vessel was in the Gulf of Oman early Sunday. 

Hormuz traffic stays constrained

The latest maritime risk data show Strait of Hormuz crossings remained subdued, with only 30 verified transits between 17 and 19 July and continued fragmentation in route selection, reflecting ongoing uncertainty. While the IMO incident tracker… pic.twitter.com/cPJjRUd7bM — Kpler (@Kpler) July 20, 2026

Dynacom confirmed in a statement distributed by an external firm that the Kavomaleas came under attack and the crew evacuated the ship and are safe, a 2025 able to transport about 75,000 tons of cargo. A “projectile of unknown origin” struck the Acheloos, it said in a separate statement. 

The Kavomaleas reappeared in the Strait of Hormuz along the Omani coast early July 20, indicating that it's at anchor.

There had already been signs that Iran was increasingly targeting oil supertankers that are the mainstay type of ship to transport Middle East crude to the world. 

“These incidents confirm the previously announced significant escalation in the operational risk within the Strait of Hormuz.” risk consultant Marisks said in a note, in reference to the incidents involving Dynacom vessels. “The attacks demonstrate that merchant vessels remain exposed to direct military action regardless of the transit corridor used.”