Amid new tensions, the United States shortened the air protection period offered to oil tankers crossing the Strait of Hormuz, according to a Financial Times report on Saturday, the 12th.
The newspaper gained access to the exchange of emails between the U.S. Navy’s Coordination and Guidance for Navigation team and maritime consultants that show several recommendations, among them the emphasis on not navigating at night and the limitation of two protection time windows per day.
“Now we are providing recommended transit times that vary by day. Your vessel does not need to travel during these times, but it is advisable to receive the best support,” said one of the emails. In one of the guidelines sent to operators, the 9 a.m. time was cited as an example.
A common practice among vessels since the onset of the military tensions had been to navigate at night, with GPS and lights off.
Regarding this, the newspaper adds, the email says that “Crossing during the period of darkness did not prove to be the safest time of day.”
The measure comes after Iran confirmed that it carried out an attack on two American ships and eight oil tankers in response to American attacks against five Iranian oil tankers.
