Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA) said Thursday that three tankers owned or chartered by the United Arab Emirates that were hit in the Strait of Hormuz in recent days had previously been placed on its non-compliance list.

In a statement posted on its official account, the authority said several tankers had been struck in the strategic waterway in recent days, including three vessels linked to the UAE.

The PGSA identified the vessels as Al Ruwais, Sinbad and Mersin Prosperity, saying they had repeatedly attempted to transit the Strait of Hormuz over the past two months.

According to the authority, all three vessels appeared on the latest version of its non-compliance list.

The list covers vessels whose status or conduct during transit has been deemed incompatible with requirements set by the PGSA for safe and authorized passage through the waterway.

The statement came after reports that a supertanker had been hit in the Strait of Hormuz and caught fire, although the circumstances surrounding the incident were not immediately clear.

The PGSA has repeatedly warned shipowners and charterers against attempting to force vessels through routes it considers unauthorized, saying such actions could result in financial and human losses and lead to restrictions on future passage through the strait.

It also warned that charterers found to be pressuring vessels to make unauthorized transits could themselves be added to the non-compliance list, potentially resulting in restrictions on passage for vessels associated with them.

Ships placed on the list may face measures including fines, detention or confiscation, according to the authority.

The PGSA further cautioned insurers, protection and indemnity (P&I) clubs and classification societies against providing services to vessels deemed non-compliant, warning that continued dealings with such ships could have consequences.

The Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman, is one of the world’s most important energy shipping routes, carrying a significant share of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies. (ILKHA)