CMA CGM container ship attacked in Strait of Hormuz, crew members injured

The CMA CGM San Antonio, a Maltese-flagged container ship operated by the world's third-largest shipping line, was struck by an Iranian projectile on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, while attempting a night transit through the Strait of Hormuz near Oman, injuring eight Filipino crew members who were evacuated for medical treatment. The attack marks the 32nd such incident since the Iran war began, a conflict that has stranded hundreds of vessels and disrupted 20% of global oil trade in the strategic waterway. The incident occurred just one day after the U.S. launched a military escort operation to protect ships through the strait, though President Trump paused the effort on Tuesday amid diplomatic talks with Iran that were reportedly close to yielding an initial agreement. Iran has expanded its territorial claims over the waterway and now requires coordination for safe passage, leaving only two of CMA CGM's 14 stranded vessels able to exit the Gulf region.

Attack on CMA CGM San Antonio in Strait of Hormuz

• ▪Injured seafarers from the CMA CGM San Antonio were evacuated for medical treatment
• ▪The CMA CGM San Antonio had not shown a tracking location since early Tuesday
• ▪Crew members on the CMA CGM San Antonio were injured in the attack
• ▪The CMA CGM San Antonio container ship was attacked while transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, May 6, 2025
• ▪The attack on the CMA CGM San Antonio was the 32nd such incident since the Iran war began

U.S. escort operations and diplomatic negotiations with Iran

• ▪Washington launched an operation on Monday to help escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz
• ▪U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday the escort effort would be briefly paused amid talks aimed at a broader deal with Iran
• ▪The United States and Iran were close to an initial agreement to end the conflict as of Wednesday, May 7, 2025

Impact on shipping traffic and vessel movements in the Gulf

• ▪The CMA CGM Saigon exited the Gulf on or before Tuesday, May 6, 2025
• ▪The Iran war has disrupted 20% of global oil trade
• ▪Transits through the Strait of Hormuz without coordination with Iran entailed significant risk according to Jakob Larsen of BIMCO
• ▪Jakob Larsen is chief safety and security officer with shipping association BIMCO
• ▪The CMA CGM Saigon's destination was marked as Colombo, Sri Lanka
• ▪The Iran war has stranded hundreds of vessels in the Gulf region
• ▪The CMA CGM Saigon is the second CMA CGM vessel to have left the Gulf out of 14 CMA CGM vessels stranded at the start of the war

Perspective of CMA CGM (Company)

• ▪CMA CGM had 14 vessels stranded in the Gulf region at the start of the Iran war

Perspective of United States (Country)

• ▪The United States launched a ship escort operation through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, May 5, 2025
• ▪President Donald Trump paused the U.S. escort operation on Tuesday to facilitate broader diplomatic talks with Iran