A container ship sank in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday (14th) as Iran stepped up attacks on commercial vessels.

The Singapore-registered GFS Pride caught fire and sank after being hit by an unidentified projectile. The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore said all 21 crew members had been safely evacuated and no injuries were reported.

Singapore's maritime authorities said in a statement on Wednesday: "Such attacks are unprovoked, unjustifiable and violate international law."

Earlier on Wednesday, Iran's Revolutionary Guard claimed through official news agency Tasnim that a container ship exploded and sank after striking a sea mine. However, maritime security company Marisks said there was no independent evidence confirming that a sea mine caused the sinking of the Pride.

In a security alert, Marisks said Iran's claims "fit into an ongoing psychological warfare campaign aimed at creating fear, increasing uncertainty and disrupting commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz."

Iran has intensified attacks in recent weeks on commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz in an attempt to prevent a recovery in crude oil exports through the waterway.

According to incident reports from the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, more than 20 vessels have come under attack this month in the Strait of Hormuz, the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, most of them oil tankers.

The International Maritime Organization under the United Nations said the attacks this month have left two seafarers missing and more than 12 injured.

After US military escorts accompanied oil tankers through the strait, crude oil exports via the Strait of Hormuz briefly recovered to pre-war levels in September, but shipments later declined again as attacks increased.

Kpler data showed that average crude oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz stood at 8.5 million barrels per day in the week ended October 12, nearly 40% below normal levels before the Iran conflict.

Data showed total regional crude shipments, including pipelines to the Gulf of Oman and the Red Sea, amounted to 14 million barrels per day, nearly 20% below pre-war levels.

Kpler said daily flows have been highly volatile. Only 3 million barrels of crude oil passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday (12th), compared with 6 million barrels on last Friday (9th). (da)