Persian Gulf: US Navy on merchant ships

US Marine Corps soldiers are training for a possible scenario - protecting merchant ships from Iranian aggression in the Strait of Hormuz.

Current situation

The Strait of Hormuz is a vital sea route and has an enormous influence on maritime trade in the world. Around 25 % of the world's crude oil flows through this strait, the free passage of which is threatened by Iran. Since 2021, Iran has attacked or seized, or attempted to attack, almost 20 foreign-flagged vessels in the Persian Gulf - Strait of Hormuz - Gulf of Oman area. As a result of increasing tensions with Iran and unfriendly encounters between American and Iranian vessels, worrying reports from this region come at a time when the US Department of Defence has already increased its forces in the Gulf region.

Iranian attacks

Last month, the Iranian navy attempted to illegally capture two ships in the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman. One of the ships was able to continue its journey unmolested after the arrival of a US destroyer. On the same day, the oil tanker "Richmond Voyager", sailing under the flag of the Bahamas and chartered by the US oil company Chevron, was fired upon by another Iranian naval vessel.

Response from the US Navy

Preparations have progressed from initial consideration of the idea to planning its execution, including the training of naval security teams at the US base in Bahrain. At the request of shipping companies, 20-man armed teams from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) would be embarked on merchant ships during transit through the high-risk area. The personnel on board would work in coordination with US aircraft and drones flying over the strait, a Navy spokesman said.

Map of the Strait of Hormuz. Graphic: Creative Commons by-sa-3.0 de

Power projection

The Department of Defence had announced it would deploy the Bataan Amphibious Readiness Group along with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (one of seven MEUs in the United States Marine Corps), which includes the amphibious assault ship USS Bataan and the dock landing ship USS Carter Hall, and an additional destroyer along with F-35 and F-16 fighter jets to protect freedom of navigation in the region.

Precedent

There has already been an initial deployment of armed guards as a deterrent in the shipping industry. Shipowners hired armed private maritime security companies (PMSCs) about ten years ago in an effort to combat Somali piracy in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. In fact, no ship has ever been successfully hijacked with an armed security team on board.

And Iran?

He can't like that; we will report on the reactions here.

Source: gCaptain, Wikipedia