One CMA CGM vessel hit in Strait of Hormuz, another exits Gulf

PARIS, May 6 (Reuters) – A CMA CGM container ship was attacked while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, injuring crew members and damaging the vessel, while another vessel run by the French group exited the Gulf, as the U.S.-Iran conflict continued to disrupt shipping traffic.

The San Antonio was hit on Tuesday, with injured seafarers evacuated for medical treatment, CMA CGM, the world’s third-largest container shipping line, said on Wednesday, declining further comment.

It marked the latest attack on ships since the war erupted, stranding hundreds of vessels and disrupting 20% of global oil trade.

Washington launched an operation on Monday to help escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz, allowing two U.S.-flagged vessels to exit the Gulf.

However, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday the effort would be briefly paused amid talks aimed at a broader deal with Iran. Sources said on Wednesday the two sides were close to an initial agreement to end the conflict.

Tehran, meanwhile, has issued a map of the waterway expanding a zone it said was subject to its control, its state media reported.

INJURED CREW GETTING TREATMENT

Eight crew members of the San Antonio were wounded, the UN’s International Maritime Organization said, in the 32nd such incident since the war began.

France was not specifically targeted, government spokesperson Maud Bregeon said, adding the crew were from the Philippines.

A maritime security source said the ship was struck by an Iranian projectile while attempting a night transit near Oman.

It was unclear if it was sailing under the now‑paused U.S. escort operation to release stranded ships. The vessel had not shown a tracking location since early on Tuesday.

TRANSITS WITHOUT COORDINATION WITH IRAN AT RISK

Another CMA CGM ship, the Saigon, was sailing along the coast of Oman south of the country’s capital Muscat, after tracking as being inside the Gulf up to Tuesday, vessel data showed.

CMA CGM confirmed the vessel had exited the Gulf, without commenting further.

“While a few ships made it out safely while ‘Project Freedom’ was in place, it was clear that transits without coordination with Iran entailed significant risk,” said Jakob Larsen, chief safety and security officer with shipping association BIMCO.

The Saigon is the second CMA CGM vessel, after the Kribi a month ago, to have left the Gulf out of 14 vessels it indicated were stranded at the start of the war.

Its destination was marked as Colombo, Sri Lanka, and like the San Antonio was sailing under the Maltese flag.

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(Reporting by Gus Trompiz, Elizabeth Pineau and Dominique Vidalon in Paris, Nerijus Adomaitis in Oslo, Jonathan Saul in London and Renee Maltezou in Athens; Writing by Makini Brice;Editing by Louise Heavens and Bernadette Baum)