Iran says oil tanker HELM breaks down in Red Sea

21 August، 2019

An Iranian oil tanker has broken down in the Red Sea but the crew are safe and repairs are underway, Iran’s state news agency IRNA reported on Wednesday.

The Iranian ship did not make a distress call to nearby countries, even though it had spent a full day at sea without movement.

“The ship’s crew are fixing the defect and the vessel is in a stable condition from a safety standpoint. Fortunately, the ship’s crew are in a safe condition,” IRNA quoted Akbar Jabal-Ameli, technical director of the state-run National Iranian Tanker Company, as saying.

The report identified the tanker as HELM. A vessel with that name is among individuals, companies and vessels which are under US sanctions, according to the US Treasury’s website.

Iran has one of the largest tanker fleets in the world, but Tehran is running short of options to replace its aging tankers and keep oil exports flowing because renewed US sanctions are making potential sellers and flag registries wary of doing business with Tehran.