BBC: Iran Seizes 'floating Arsenal' In Gulf Of Oman

The ship was flying the flag of Honduras.

A vessel used by private security companies as a kind of "floating arsenal" in the Gulf of Oman has been seized by the Iranian Navy and is heading for Iranian territorial waters. This is reported by the BBC, citing maritime risk management company Vanguard.

According to BBC, the vessel in question is the Honduran-flagged Hui Chuan. According to Vanguard, the ship's operators told the company that it served as a warehouse of ammunition and military equipment for companies providing protection for merchant ships from pirate attacks.

There is no information about what or who exactly is aboard the ship seized by the Iranians. However, it is known that such "floating arsenals" are often used in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and the Gulf of Oman. In addition to weapons and equipment storage services, ships like the Hui Chuan provide private security companies with services to house guards during shifts. As Mark Gray, director of one of the operators of "floating arsenals", the British MNG Maritime, told the BBC, the ships usually have specially equipped cabins on board, a kind of gymnasium on deck, etc.

Vanguard notes that the hijacking occurred shortly after the Indian-flagged merchant ship Haji Ali was attacked and sunk off the coast of Oman.

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