Iran Widens Threats to Insurers, P&I Clubs, Class Societies

Blacklist Grows as Iran Targets the Insurance and Classification Chain

According to a report by The Maritime Executive, a group calling itself the Persian Gulf Strait Authority has issued a second update to its blacklist of vessels it deems “non-compliant,” while extending its threats beyond shipowners to insurance companies, P&I clubs, and classification societies. The group claims authority over transits through the Strait of Hormuz, though there is little sign the shipping industry is heeding its edicts.

From 45 to 77 Named Vessels

The list began late August with 45 vessels and has now grown to 77, each identified by name and IMO number, with 21 new additions in the latest release. Named operators include Saudi Arabia’s Bahri and the Kuwait Oil Tanker Company, and the list spans crude tankers along with LPG, LNG, product tankers, and bulkers. The group has previously said some entries came from information “voluntarily submitted by the public,” and it has also flagged vessels involved in shuttle runs and ship-to-ship transfers conducted outside the Persian Gulf.

New Warning to Insurers and Class Societies

The latest statement broadens the threat considerably, warning that “insurance companies, P&I clubs, and classification societies are warned to refrain from providing services to these vessels to avoid consequences arising from dealing with them.” The group does not specify what action it might take against firms that continue servicing listed ships. Previously, its stated penalties for vessels attempting to transit the Strait were limited to fines, detention, or confiscation.

Traffic Data Tells Its Own Story

Despite the lack of enforceable teeth behind the threats, actual transit data suggests operators are being cautious for other reasons. Reuters tracking data cited in the report shows transits through the Strait of Hormuz running well below the ten-day average, dropping to single digits per day over a recent weekend — with only one LPG carrier and one laden Supermax tanker recorded exiting on Saturday and Sunday. The reduced traffic appears more closely tied to ongoing attacks in the region than to compliance with the blacklist itself.

Oil markets remain jittery amid continued attacks from both the United States and Iran, compounded by news that a planned conference between Gulf states and Iran was cancelled. Brent crude touched $106 a barrel, while U.S. crude opened near $104 before easing to just under $102. Former President Donald Trump posted on social media that oil continues to flow through Hormuz and suggested Iran was eager to reach a deal.

What This Means for Owners, Managers, and Insurers

Extending threats to P&I clubs and classification societies marks a notable escalation, since it targets the institutions that underpin a vessel’s ability to trade internationally rather than just the ship itself. In practical terms, most P&I clubs and IACS members operate under jurisdictions and international frameworks that are not bound by an unrecognized authority’s blacklist, so the immediate legal exposure is limited. But the psychological and commercial effect is real: charterers, financiers, and cargo interests may grow more cautious about fixtures involving vessels that trade through or near the Strait, regardless of whether the threats are ever acted upon.

For technical superintendents and owners with tonnage transiting the region, this is a reminder that documentation discipline matters more than usual right now. Vessels operating in contested waters should keep survey and condition records, class certificates, and P&I entry documentation current and readily accessible, since any incident — genuine or alleged — could trigger scrutiny from multiple directions at once: flag state, class, insurer, and now potentially this self-declared authority. Independent condition and bunker surveys, along with careful voyage documentation, provide an objective record that can help owners and charterers manage disputes or claims should tensions in the Strait continue to escalate. Given how thin actual transit volumes have become, the operational risk calculus for vessels serving this corridor deserves ongoing reassessment rather than a one-time review.

Reviewed by Ibrahim Halil Ceylan, Marine Surveyor at Apeks Marine.