Symbolic imageContainer ship sinks near Hormuz as UN warns of fertiliser shortfall
A Singapore-registered container ship sank in the Strait of Hormuz after an attack. A UN official warns of a food crisis without a fertiliser deal.
The GFS Pride caught fire and sank after being hit by an unidentified projectile on Tuesday, 13 October; all 21 crew were evacuated, Singapore's maritime authority said. Iran's Revolutionary Guards say the ship hit a mine on an "unauthorised" route, but security firm Marisks found no independent evidence of a mine. Reuters, citing two senior Iranian officials, reported that Tehran is changing tactics against shipping to keep oil prices high before the US midterms on 3 November.
Fertiliser deadline
UN official Jorge Moreira da Silva said on Wednesday that without a US-Iran deal within weeks, the planting season will be missed and parts of Asia and Africa could face a food crisis. The UN mechanism could start 7 to 10 days after an agreement, and five vessels a day would suffice. The US State Department says its military has assisted thousands of ships.
Sanctions easing weighed
A US official said Washington is considering letting sanctioned shadow-fleet tankers carry non-sanctioned oil, with Treasury approval, to cut record freight rates. Energy Aspects expects little effect, since insurers remain bound by EU and UK rules.