Iran heading towards the Strait of Hormuz early Wednesday morning local time, tankers of Greek interests. This is a supertanker (VLCC) “Niovi”, associated with the shipping company Smart Tankers. According to shipping circles, the tanker has been moored for maintenance for the past several months, and after their completion on Wednesday while sailing without cargo, it was seized by Iranian forces.

Hellenic Ministry of Shipping sources reporting in “Kathimerini” that they are closely following developments in order to protect the interests of Greece within their competence.

International shipping sources link Tehran’s actions to retaliation for last week’s arrest in international waters on a warrant issued on appeal by the United States of a tanker also representing Greek interests (“Suez Rajan” by Empire Navigation, which represents St. Molaris). who allegedly transported Iranian oil. Moreover, a few days after the Suez Rajan incident, the Iranian authorities also arrested another tanker allegedly belonging to Turkish interests, Advantage Sweet, citing a collision with a local fishing boat.

Niovi is owned by Grand Financing Co, which is based in Piraeus and is associated with Smart Tankers, the interests of the D. Backus and G. Kaimenakis group, according to TradeWinds with reference to the shipping base Equasis.

In retaliation for the seizure of Iranian oil by the US authorities.

Recall that last year two tankers representing Greek interests, “Prudent Warrior” and “Delta Poseidon”, together with their crews, remained detained by Tehran for almost half a year. The reason for this incident was again the arrest by the Greek authorities of another tanker carrying Iranian oil, at the call of the Americans. The decision of the Greek courts had to be reversed, and the tanker seized by the Greek authorities was released before the Iranians began to release the Prudent Warrior and Delta Poseidon.

The US Navy announced on Wednesday morning that the 309,164 dwt VLCC Niovi (built in 2005) was surrounded by the fast ships of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps around 6:20 am. local time, leaving Dubai and heading to Fujairah. Iranian speedboats forced the ship to change course towards Fujairah and enter Iranian territorial waters.

“Iran’s continued harassment of ships and interference with navigational rights in regional waters is unreasonable, irresponsible, and poses a threat to maritime security and the global economy,” US Central Command said in a statement.

The Niovi hijacking came six days after Iran’s hijacking of the “Advantage Sweet” (built in 2012). Tehran claimed at the time that the tanker collided with an Iranian fishing vessel, but several sources said it was in retaliation for a US court order to seize the 159,000 dwt Suez Rajan (built in 2011) that was allegedly carrying Iranian oil.

The US Navy said it was the 15th incident of Iranian forces harassing, attacking or interfering with merchant ships in the past two years.