The Express-Rome: Crew Feedback and Vessel Data

On March 30, 2026, the 'Express Rome', a cargo vessel owned by the prominent Greek shipping company Danaos, experienced a alarming near miss with two projectiles while positioned approximately 22 nautical miles off Ras Tanura. Fortunately, the crew aboard reported that they were unharmed amidst the alarming event. Earlier, on March 11, the Islamic Republican Guard Corps (IRGC) had alleged an attack on the vessel in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, though this claim remains unverified. Leading up to the recent tensions in the Middle East, the ship's port schedule aligned with the company's established operations in the Middle East, Gulf, and Asia (MEGA) service. Additionally, in July 2025, Danaos found themselves facing sanctions imposed by the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) targeting 16 of their chartered container ships due to alleged connections with Iran. As a result, SeaLead promptly moved to terminate the charters associated with these vessels in response to the sanctions.

On March 11, 2026, the Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced it had conducted an attack on the commercial vessel 'Express Rome'. According to the IRGC, this strike occurred after the ship allegedly ignored warnings regarding transit through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz. However, as of now, there is no independent verification of such an attack. The 'Express Rome', identified with an IMO number, has been stationed off the coast of Jebel Ali at coordinates 25° 13' N 054° 35' E since February 28, 2026, while traveling from Port Klang.

In the aftermath of a collision with the 'Al Gharaffa' near Singapore on December 29, 2013, the South Korean maritime company Hanjin has opted to lay up its container vessel, the 'Hanjin Italy.' This decision comes as the ship, only three years old, now stands as one of the largest container ships currently inactive. The incident raises significant concerns in the shipping industry regarding safety and operational protocols in busy maritime corridors.

On December 29, 2013, the bulk carrier 'Hanjin Italy' found itself anchored off Singapore following a significant collision with the LNG carrier 'Al Gharaffa'. The 'Al Gharaffa' had departed from Ras Laffan Port on December 19, and was traversing the busy Malacca Strait between Batam and Singapore at the time of the incident. Initial reports indicated substantial damage to the bow of the 'Al Gharaffa', while the starboard side of the 'Hanjin Italy' sustained dents and cargo loss, although no injuries to crew members were reported and the containment system was unaffected, posing no risk of pollution to the environment. As of January 3, 2014, the 'Al Gharaffa' was securely anchored in Singapore while being evaluated by the classification society, which confirmed the vessel's integrity remained intact for sailing. The situation is currently under investigation, with OSG Ship Management (UK) Ltd collaborating with relevant authorities to assess the circumstances surrounding the accident. It is currently undetermined whether the LNG cargo aboard 'Al Gharaffa' will require offloading; this vessel was en route to the Futtsu LNG terminal, operated by Tokyo Electric Power Co. Importantly, OSG maintains a 50.1% stake in the 'Al Gharaffa', with Qatari shipowner Nakilat owning the remainder, and the vessel operates under a long-term charter with Qatargas. Meanwhile, the Danaos company is actively seeking to secure a berth at Singapore for the 'Hanjin Italy', enabling discharge of its cargo and subsequent repairs, as it was en route to Yantian, China, at the time of the collision.

On December 29, 2013, a significant maritime incident occurred off the coast of Singapore when the container ship "Hanjin Italy" collided with the LNG tanker "Al Gharaffa." The "Al Gharaffa," which had departed from Ras Laffan Port on December 19, sustained considerable damage to its bow during the collision. Following the accident, both vessels remained anchored off Singapore as investigations into the incident began.