Talara

Iran has released the 'Talara', and all 21 crew wee safe, the vessel’s operator Columbia Shipmanagement said. The vessel was released by the Iranian government on Nov 19 at 01:12 a.m. UTC after an inspection. Authorities clarified that no formal charges were being brought against the vessel, which was now free to resume normal operations. On Sep 15 at 4.22 a.m., rapid-reaction units had intercepted the tanker near the Makran coast under a judicial order to confiscate its cargo of about 30,000 tons of petrochemical products. The ship was directed to an Iranian anchorage for inspection and was found to be in breach of rules on transporting unauthorized goods.

The 'Talara' has been moored in the Khuran Strait, north of Qeshm Island, a familiar location for vessels hijacked by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), after it was appreheneded by the IRCG on Nov 14 at 8.22 a.m. An IRGC statement stated that the tanker was in violation for carrying unauthorized cargo. The ship’s manager, Columbia Shipmanagement, said the vessel was carrying a cargo of high-sulphur gasoil, en route to Singapore when contact was lost approximately 20 nautical miles off the coast of Khorfakkan, United Arab Emirates, marking the first Iranian hijacking of a commercial vessel in 2025. The last confirmed hijacking of a commercial vessel by the Iranian military forces was in April 2024, when the container m/v 'MSC Aries' was seized in a helicopter-borne operation in international waters. All 21 crew members wee reported to be safe and accounted for. The vessel was safely anchored off the coast of Bandar Abbas.

The 'Talara' has been apprehended on Nov 14, 2025, by three small boats belonging to the Iranian military whilst transiting the Strait of Hormuz en route from Al Hamriyah to Singapore with a cargo of high sulphur gasoil. The tanker has since been redirected to the Iranian coastline. The ship is managed by Columbia and owned by Cyprus-based Pasha Finance. The last confirmed hijacking of a commercial vessel by Iranian military forces was in April 2024, when Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) seized the Portuguese flagged container ship 'MSC Aries', via a helicopter-borne operation in international waters. Merchant vessels were advised to remain vigilant while transiting the Strait of Hormuz and to report any suspicious activity immediately. A U.S. Navy MQ-4C Triton drone had been circling above the area where the 'Talara' was, observing the seizure. The British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center acknowledged the incident. The Cyprus-based Columbia Shipmanagement said in a statement that it had lost contact with the tanker. The company has notified the relevant authorities and is working closely with all relevant parties, including maritime security agencies and the vessel owner, in order to restore contact with the vessel with the safety of the crew remaining the foremost priority.

Under the pressure of EU sanctions the 'Talara' under charter to BP and inbound from Cape Town to Vadinar, in order to load a cargo of ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel on July 21, 2025, to be transported to Africa, left the port without loading the oil. The tanker was placed back on the charter market, available for pickups in India or the Middle East. On July 18 the EU further expanded the sanctions on the Russian energy industry. The goal was to continue to increase the pressure on Russia, and the ' Talara' was included on the new sanctions list. As of July 22, the tanker was anchored in pos. 22° 12' N 068° 42' E in the Gulf of Kutch.