A vessel flying the Tanzanian flag has been reported partially submerged near Kish Island in Iran. According to a Reuters report on Wednesday, the incident occurred around 13:00 local time. The ship had departed from Ras Al Khaimah port in the UAE and was en route to Shuaiba Port in Kuwait.
This is not the first time a Tanzania-registered vessel has been involved in an incident in Iranian waters. In 2023, another Tanzanian-flagged ship sank at a jetty in Iran’s Assaluyeh Port. Reports indicated that the vessel, owned by Iranian national Amir Kashiani, submerged due to improper container loading.
In April 2025, two oil tankers, Sea Ranger and Salama, were intercepted by Iranian authorities near Farsi Island in the Persian Gulf for allegedly carrying 1.5 million liters of smuggled oil. Tanzanian authorities later clarified that both vessels had been deregistered prior to the incident and were no longer linked to the country.
Back in 2018, President John Pombe Magufuli halted the registration of foreign vessels under the Tanzanian flag and ordered an investigation into the 470 ships already registered. He cited multiple controversies, including cases of vessels being impounded for drug smuggling. At the time, he confirmed that at least five Tanzania-flagged ships had been seized for involvement in narcotics trafficking.
