Photo: Ya Ray Yang/MarineTraffic
Iran Seizes Chinese-Owned ‘Floating Armory’ Ship Near Hormuz
By Weilun Soon and Alex Longley (Bloomberg) — Iran seized a Chinese-owned ship that’s one of a handful of so-called floating armories that operate in the region, according to two maritime security consultants who asked not to be identified discussing sensitive information.
Hong Kong-based Sinoguards, a maritime security firm, said in a statement that Tehran’s forces took one of its ships, the
, into Iranian waters on Thursday. That followed an
from a UK naval group that a commercial ship was apprehended by unauthorized personnel at the entrance of the Strait of Hormuz.
It’s unclear why Iran has taken the vessel after Tehran said in statements on Thursday that Chinese ships were allowed to cross Hormuz, suggesting cooperation between the two nations. China has long been the biggest buyer of Iranian oil.
Sinoguards said the vessel is undergoing documentation and compliance inspection in Iranian waters. The company didn’t respond to a question from Bloomberg News on whether the ship was a floating armory, and in its statement referred to it as an offshore work platform vessel.
The firm provides security services, including armed guards, for vessels transiting risky waters such as the Indian Ocean, according to its website. One of Sinoguards’ permanent bases is in Fujairah, a key United Arab Emirates port outside the strait in the Gulf of Oman.
“We are cooperating fully with the appropriate authorities and have submitted the requested vessel and crew documentation,” the company said in the statement on Friday, adding that there’s no indication the vessel’s crew have been injured.
Vessel-based armories, or VBAs as ships like the
are known, store firearms in international waters as part of the security services they offer.
Such vessels also act as a rest point for personnel employed by private military and security companies, where they can wait to embark and disembark ships.
There are no rules on what sort of vessels can function as VBAs. The
, is classified as a Honduras-flagged fishery research vessel that was built in 1984.
Sinoguards was established in 2013, according to its website, which said the company focuses on recruiting ex-service personnel from Ukraine and Nepal. Sinoguards is a neutral company with no ties to governments or armed forces, it said.
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