Oil tankers damaged Crew evacuated Gulf of Oman

[Expat Cruise]

While not cruise ships, it is something to at least think about. The area of these issues is were cruise ships must pass through when traveling in the Gulf of Oman.  Four Merchant ships (cargo) damage by sabotage, or mines also reported.  https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/may/12/uae-four-merchant-ships-reported-sabotaged

 

[Globaliser]

10 minutes ago, Expat Cruise said:

Four Merchant ships (cargo) damage by sabotage, or mines also reported.  https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/may/12/uae-four-merchant-ships-reported-sabotaged

 

It's worth noting that that was an initial report when the incident happened - now over a month ago - and more information has become available since then. From the same source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jun/07/uae-tanker-attacks-un-iran-norway-saudi-arabia

 

Importantly, that report says this:-

 

Quote

...

 

The initial findings showed it was “highly likely” that four limpet mines, which are magnetically attached to a ship’s hull under the waterline, were used in the attacks. The report said they had been placed by trained divers deployed from fast boats. The mines were placed soon after the ships were anchored.

 

The UAE believes the attacks required high-level intelligence in order to identify the four oil tankers as targets, one of which – a Saudi ship – was at the opposite end of the anchorage area at Fujairah from the three other tankers.

 

The report also said that detailed knowledge of the ships’ designs was required to detonate the mines without sinking the tankers. The mines were sequenced to explode within an hour of each other.

 

...

 

While none of this is good news for anyone who uses the sea, the context of the event doesn't suggest that there are many implications for cruise ships. It is hard to see why any cruise ship should be specifically targeted by any sophisticated damage-but-not-sink operation.

[Expat Cruise]

2 minutes ago, Globaliser said:

 

It's worth noting that that was an initial report when the incident happened - now over a month ago - and more information has become available since then. From the same source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jun/07/uae-tanker-attacks-un-iran-norway-saudi-arabia

 

Importantly, that report says this:-

 

 

 

 

While none of this is good news for anyone who uses the sea, the context of the event doesn't suggest that there are many implications for cruise ships.

 The attack a month ago was not the same as the attack today.   New attacks happen on Thursday the 13th of June.  And while cargo ships, in these cases it could just as well been a cruise ship.   Another link from today:  https://www.foxnews.com/world/uk-maritime-groups-warns-of-incident-in-gulf-of-oman

 

[Globaliser]

9 minutes ago, Expat Cruise said:

And while cargo ships, in these cases it could just as well been a cruise ship.

 

There are clear and obvious reasons why oil tankers - not any old cargo ships, of which there are plenty in the area - are being targeted. And the news report last week shows that these were not random attacks.

 

For what rational reason might any of this extrapolate to cruise ships, other than they also float in water?

[Cotswold Eagle]

14 hours ago, Expat Cruise said:

  And while cargo ships, in these cases it could just as well been a cruise ship.   

 

That’s a remarkable analytical leap!

[Expat Cruise]

3 hours ago, Cotswold Eagle said:

 

That’s a remarkable analytical leap!

Just common sense backed up with the reports made by many news outlets.  Safety is a major issue for any ship in these area. Cruise ships cannot travel to Bahrain, Qatar, Dubai, or Muscat without being in these same waters.  Information is power, members are free to do whatever they want with the information. I have not cancelled my cruise to the area.

 

[Globaliser]

4 hours ago, Expat Cruise said:

Just common sense backed up with the reports made by many news outlets.  Safety is a major issue for any ship in these area.

 

More like scare-mongering, IMHO. What's going on is evidently very precisely targeted, for reasons (as I said) that are not difficult to understand. If a general shooting war were going on, with anti-ship missiles flying around indiscriminately, there would be genuine cause for concern. But that's not what's happening.

[Expat Cruise]

On 6/14/2019 at 3:48 PM, Globaliser said:

 

More like scare-mongering, IMHO. What's going on is evidently very precisely targeted, for reasons (as I said) that are not difficult to understand. If a general shooting war were going on, with anti-ship missiles flying around indiscriminately, there would be genuine cause for concern. But that's not what's happening.

Not scare mongering at all a Cruise Ship is a much higher value target than a Oil Tanker.  Knowing what is going on around you is a important part of travel.

[Jayayeff]

On ‎6‎/‎14‎/‎2019 at 11:48 AM, Globaliser said:

 

More like scare-mongering, IMHO. What's going on is evidently very precisely targeted, for reasons (as I said) that are not difficult to understand. If a general shooting war were going on, with anti-ship missiles flying around indiscriminately, there would be genuine cause for concern. But that's not what's happening.

 

Spot on.....  

 

Anne...

[Globaliser]

On 6/16/2019 at 4:11 AM, Expat Cruise said:

Knowing what is going on around you is a important part of travel.

 

So is some sense of political awareness and perspective.