Todays updates for the Strait of Hormuz, Bab-el-Mandab Strait, all Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman ports and anchorages........plus Iran has rewritten its map of the Strait of Hormuz again, another Socotra warning and France drafting up a UN resolution
So once again Iran has been rewriting the Strait of Hormuz charts and maps and causing yet more anguish for the crews aboard the stranded ships who are rapidly running out of basic supplies.
Iran's publication of a new map asserting its control over the Strait of Hormuz risks extending an already punishing ordeal for thousands of mariners trapped on ships in the Persian Gulf.
More than 20,000 sailors are stuck on around 2,000 vessels in the gulf, many of them unable to leave ship, lacking adequate supplies of food and fresh water, and fearful of an uncertain future at sea in a war zone. Sailors interviewed by Reuters in recent weeks have described the hardships and anxieties of their experience, and a federation representing them warns of dire conditions.
"The only thing we do here is plan how to spend the night and pray to God that we do not get hit during an attack," Indian sailor Salman Siddiqui said by phone from his stranded ship last month.
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From the Saudi port of Dammam, about seven large ships were visible moored out at sea - an unusually large number in normal times. As the resupply ship bobbed alongside the tanker in a stiff wind, the sailors aboard called out across the water while they winched aboard large sacks of medical goods.
Mohit Kohli, the captain of a large cargo vessel caught in the gulf when the war began after sailing from Singapore, said that when he first heard the Strait could be closed he, "could not even fathom that this was remotely possible".
His German-owned ship managed to secure a safe anchor off Dammam, but just over a week into the war the crew started to see and hear the missiles and drones Iran was directing at gulf states.
"The crew who was usually loud and happy were now silent. Meals got shorter. Conversations were more guarded," he said, describing the atmosphere on board in a Reuters interview this month after his return to India.
More of this :
FEATURE | Iran's newest assertion means more trouble for thousands of trapped mariners in Persian Gulf (Baird Maritime / Reuters - May 22, 2026)
Another incident off Socotra has been reported. The ship's armed guards force the interloper to sail away from the ship.
France has pushed forward with a UN resolution to deal with the Strait of Hormuz situation, this one will join another resolution brought about by Bahrain and the US which has been in discussion for two weeks but delayed due to potential veto by China and Russia
France has drafted a UN Security Council resolution on setting up an international mission to restore movement in the Strait of Hormuz and could submit it if conditions are right, the foreign ministry said on Friday, as Washington struggles to bring to a vote a text Russia and China may say is biased against Tehran.
Control of the narrow waterway, a vital artery for global energy trade whose virtual closure has led to spiralling oil prices, is a major obstacle in talks to end the three-month-old US-Iran war.
A US-Bahraini resolution on the strait has been under discussion for more than two weeks, with a vote repeatedly delayed as China and Russia signal they could veto it.
More of this :
France drafts UN resolution for Strait of Hormuz mission (Baird Maritime / Reuters - May 22, 2026)
To the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab-el-Mandab Strait
The Strait of Hormuz appears busy but most of the green and blue arrows milling around are Iranian vessels, there are no significant foreign ships making transit so far today.
Down at the other choke point, Bab-el-Mandab Strait, it is fairly busy, everything currently flowing well
Ports and anchorages from Doha to Umm Qasr are mainly static with many ships just milling about rather than anchored
Ports and anchorages from Mina Saqr have thinned out a little and there are fewer Iranian herders. However it has to be remembered that many ships will be AIS dark for a variety of reasons
On the other side, all ports are up and running normally and there is some heavy congestion at the anchorages at Dibba, Khor Fakkan, Fujairah, Al Widyyat and Liwa. Iranian herders are more in evidence in the area
As has been the case for the last week or so, no new news about CMA CGM San Antonio at this time.
That's all for now....back tomorrow.