Part of Front Altair Crew Re-Embarked for Recovery Ops

Crew members of the Front Altair have now either returned home or have re-embarked the vessel to assist with recovery operations and ship-to-ship transfer of cargo, the vessel’s operator Frontline said.

Following the June 13 attack on the vessel and a subsequent explosion and fire, that occurred shortly after the ship had passed through the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf, the LR2 tanker is now in a stable condition.

Currently anchored off Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates, the ship will transfer its cargo into another Frontline-operated vessel.

Following transfer of cargo, damage to the Front Altair will be further inspected and the vessel will ultimately be moved to a shipyard for repair, the company explained.

Frontline said it continues to work with third parties, including governmental officials, to determine the cause of the explosion. As previously reported, the possibility that it was caused by mechanical or human error has been ruled out completely.

“Until further information is received regarding the cause of the explosion and the security of this important shipping lane is secured, Frontline will exercise extreme caution when considering new contracts in the region and will consider all possible measures to insure the safety of our crews and vessels operating in the area.”