Iranian Navy "Base Ship" Leaking Oil

IRINS Makran leaking oil in the outer harbor at Bandar Abbas early on September 8 (Sentinel-2)

The largest ship in the regular Iranian Navy (Nesda) has been left behind in the Bandar Abbas Naval Harbor, apparently suffering an oil leak, whilst most other Nesda vessels have recently deployed.

The forward base and logistics vessel IRINS Makran (K441) was leaking oil in imagery seen early on October 6 while tied up at its normal pier in Bandar Abbas’ outer basin. The leak appears to be coming from the stern of the vessel.

When IRINS Makran was converted from the 55,909 GT Aframax tanker Beta (IMO 9486910) in 2020, its oil tanks were left in place, and indeed appear have been used to export crude oil in combination with its naval duties. But these tanks do not appear to be the source of the leak.

The leak could not be seen in imagery on October 4, when IRINS Makran was at its pier alongside IRINS Kurdestan (K442), a similar but smaller logistics vessel commissioned into Nesda service in May this year.

Later on October 8, tugs were seen maneuvering IRINS Makran off its pier, though the ship was still in harbor.

IRINS Kurdestan appears to have left harbor sometime after October 4, several days after most of the Nesda’s frigate fleet had already deployed, following three weeks alongside. The deployment of the Nesda fleet has included the intelligence collection frigate IRINS Zagros (H313), and the two Hengam Class landing ships (IRINS Tonb (L513) and Lavan (L514), which are normally deployed to provide logistics support on exercises or enduring operations.

The Nesda deployment could be associated with a rise in tensions in Yemen, from where Houthi forces continue to launch drones and missiles at Israel. On September 30, the Houthi military spokesman Brigadier Yahya Saree added Exxon, Mobil, Chevron, ConocoPhillips and nine other American companies to the Houthi ‘hit list’, in effect confirming that the ceasefire between the Houthis and the United States brokered by the Omanis in May is now dead.

The continuing Houthi attacks will inevitably attract an Israeli response in due course, which may add to the tensions recently seen in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, where a purge on internal dissent within Houthi ranks is currently underway. In these circumstances, it seems a sensible insurance policy for the US Navy to be keeping the USS Nimitz (CVN-68)-led carrier strike group in the Arabian Sea area, and this in turn may have prompted the Nesda deployment.

It is also possible that the Iranians are taking an interest in Exercise Konkan 2025, this year’s joint Indian and Royal Navy exercise currently underway off India’s west coast involving the aircraft carriers INS Vikrant (R11) and HMS Prince of Wales (R09).