Pirates Hijack UAE-Operated, Sanctioned Tanker in Gulf of Aden

Six armed men seized the oil products tanker SIBU 1 in the Gulf of Aden on August 20, forcing it to change course toward Somalia after it had reportedly been sailing from Omani port Shinas to Port Sudan.

According to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), the vessel reported an unauthorized vessel approaching it while sailing westward about 136 nautical miles east of Yemen's Al Mukalla. In a subsequent update, the agency reported that six armed men boarded and took control of the tanker before directing it toward the Somali coast.

As of midday Friday, August 21, no confirmed information was available on the vessel's location after the takeover or the fate of its crew.

From Port Sudan to a Distress Message

MarineTraffic data reviewed by Misbar show that SIBU 1 departed Shinas Port on August 8, with Port Sudan listed as its declared destination. The tanker was sailing laden, with a recorded draft of 10.9 meters.

The last available location signal was recorded at 01:49 GMT on August 20 at coordinates 14.92426°N, 51.96494°E off the coast of Yemen. The vessel was traveling at 9.3 knots on a heading of 239 degrees, while the destination field continued to display "PORT SUDAN." No subsequent location appeared in the available tracking data.

The specialized VesselTracker website reported that, before losing control of the tanker, the crew managed to change the destination field in the vessel's AIS system to a distress message reading "PIRATE ONBOARD HELP." Port Sudan was therefore the voyage's original destination, while the phrase served as a distress call before the armed men later imposed a new course toward Somalia.

A New Name and an Old Sanctions Record

Maritime tracking records show that the vessel changed its name and flag several times. It previously operated as SEAMULLET under the German flag before switching to the Palau flag in July 2020 and subsequently operating under the name SEAMULL.

VesselFinder and VesselTracker data currently identify the vessel as SIBU 1, flying the Eritrean flag, while retaining the same International Maritime Organization identification number, IMO 9204776.

The unchanged IMO number makes it possible to directly link its current identity to the tanker SEAMULL, which the U.S. Treasury designated as blocked property associated with Qatrat Alnada Almasi Ship Management, a sanctioned company, despite the vessel subsequently changing its name and flag.

MarineTraffic data show that Qatrat Alnada Almasi Ship Management has been listed in the vessel's management structure as its operator, independent operator, or charterer since May 28, 2024, with its address registered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The company also served as the vessel's ISM Manager, responsible for its operational safety management, from May 28, 2024, to September 9, 2025. That role had previously been assigned to Petrofleet Ship Management FZCO since February 2021. Current data do not list a technical or commercial manager for the vessel.

The U.S. Treasury said the vessel transported Iranian petroleum products, including naphtha and gas oil, and had also visited Yemeni ports controlled by the Houthis.

Piracy Operations in the Gulf of Aden

The incident is part of a growing series of hijackings and piracy incidents in the Gulf of Aden. On Monday, a general cargo vessel known as Lutuf was reportedly attacked near the Somali coast after eight armed pirates boarded the vessel and forced it to change course.

Earlier this year, the oil products tanker HONOUR 25 and the cargo vessel SWARD were also forced to alter course toward the Somali coast, according to data from the Maritime Security Centre – Indian Ocean (MSCIO). The area also recorded an incident involving the theft of a sailing boat and an attempted attack on another vessel using live ammunition in an effort to seize control of it.

Read More

Satellite Images Reveal Likely Site of First International Base Inside Gaza

At the Gate of the Northern Jordan Valley: Misbar Tracks Two Settlement Projects Near Tayasir Checkpoint