LONDON: Two commercial vessels have sunk near the Strait of Hormuz following attacks, renewing concern about the safety of merchant shipping through a major global energy route.
The vessels were the Singapore-registered container ship GFS Pride and the Antigua and Barbuda-flagged bulk carrier Cape Dao, according to maritime reports published on 14 and 15 October. The sinkings became known around the same time, but the attacks that damaged the ships did not necessarily occur together.
Singapore confirms crew evacuation
Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority said GFS Pride was struck by an unidentified projectile on 13 October. The vessel caught fire and subsequently sank. All 21 crew members were evacuated safely, with no injuries reported.
A second Singapore-registered container ship, GFS Giselle, was struck by an unidentified projectile on 14 October. It sustained hull damage but reached a safe anchorage under its own power; its 22 crew members were reported safe. GFS Giselle did not sink.
A separate vessel sinks
The bulk carrier Cape Dao also sank after damage sustained in an attack reported in September. Its later sinking should not be confused with a new, simultaneous strike on 14 October.
Risks for shipping and energy trade
The Strait of Hormuz connects the Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and carries a significant share of international oil and gas shipments. Attacks can endanger crews, increase insurance and logistics costs, and disrupt supply chains.
Singapore’s maritime authority condemned attacks on commercial shipping and called for seafarer safety and freedom of navigation to be respected. Its statement described the projectiles that hit the Singapore-registered vessels as unidentified; responsibility for those specific strikes should not be asserted without evidence.
For energy-importing economies, including Pakistan, prolonged disruption to Gulf shipping could carry commercial consequences.
Sources: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, 14 October 2026; Reuters, 14 October 2026.
Pakistan Report Illustration