This is a new one: The Bahrain-based Fifth Fleet of the U.S. Navy said the Panama-flagged oil tanker Niovi was seized by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) at 6:20 a.m. (0220 GMT) while passing through the narrow Strait of Hormuz. In Iran's first response, Tehran's prosecutor announced the oil tanker was seized on a judicial order following a complaint by a plaintiff, the judiciary's Mizan news agency said. No further details were provided.
A Turkish-managed, Chinese-owned ship, with all crew members being Indian. What flag are they flying on that ship? The delivery of the oil was to the U.S. but is the ship U.S. registered? I don't want to easily get drawn into someone else's conflict.
Keep in mind that the U.S. and our allies have patrolled the straight previously to stop oil tankers from any nation from being seized. What happens if Iran seizes enough ships to stop trade in the region?
I get all that. I am just trying to sort out the picture. In a post above it was referred to as an "American oil tanker." Just trying to find the "American" in it. What flag are they flying? Iranian misconduct in the region requires response- official protests and all of that. Iranian misconduct upon an American flagged ship requires a more "hands-on" response.
That was my bad. I cut and paste the article but missed the headline when i highlighted it and just filled it in by hand. The word American wasn't in there. Oops. It was an honest mistake though. https://www.reuters.com/world/second-oil-tanker-week-seized-by-iran-gulf-us-navy-2023-05-03/
Merchant ships will always fly a flag of convenience. Usually their actual ownership is in western nations. Same with cruise line ships. I believe there are under 6 American flagged merchant ships -- nearly all involved in transporting U.S. military gear (roll on / roll off).
Yeh. I can't follow the thread I guess. Trading and all. I read about oil tankers but then you reply back about U.S. military gear. Will have to figure it out later I guess.
The point is that merchant ships use flags of convenience -- even when they are owned by U.S. companies. If a ship is flagged in the U.S. then they are subject to U.S. inspections and minimum pay laws -- and they don't want this. Thus all except for a small number are flagged overseas.
Yeh. I understand that we generically have an interest in participating in free world interests in keeping the gulf and straight open and may or may not intervene as we chose. But putting Seal Team 6 on board a Chinese tanker to protect Indian crew and Turkish officers. That's a hard sell on the home front. It's complicated any scumbag can get American registry and try to dress up like an American, so that is always a mess. Not saying they have American registry but that dilemma is common. The United States should not be being bothered by the Iranians right now. I thought that is why we fund Israel- to make Iran's life miserable when they get frisky so that we do not have to get our hands dirty. Of course in years when Trump is in office he likes to take care of bidness himself. Can you spell Soleimani boys and girls?
You are giving me a basic lesson on international maritime law and practice. Not entirely needed. I am asking for factual information about a specific scenario. What flag is the ship flying? I understand all the various instances when it could be flying an American flag but am asking what flag they are actually flying. If you don't know then just say "I don't know." or "I don't know but I will google for another four hours because I was born to google." You don't have to commit hari kari if you don't know.