Autonomous Vessel Collides with Cargo Ship Near Iranian Waters

Last Saturday, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) office reported a curious incident in the Persian Gulf that resembled a bomb-boat attack—minus the explosion.

On the 10th, a merchant ship’s captain notified UKMTO about an odd encounter near Kish Island, Iran. This took place roughly 80 nautical miles northwest of Jebel Ali. A small vessel had rammed into their ship and had previously tried to collide with other nearby vessels as well.

The crew of this small boat was seen transferring to another craft just before it made its final approach towards the merchant vessel, leaving it unmanned for that last maneuver.

No injuries were reported among seafarers, but the merchant ship lingered in the area for a while before continuing its journey. During this time, they received radio calls from “local authorities” asking them to halt and allow boarding by officials.

No explosions occurred during this incident. Though, it shares similarities with tactics used by Houthi forces known for their bomb boats. Typically, these unmanned vessels are initially piloted by someone until they get close enough to switch over to remote control while abandoning ship. A support boat then guides them toward their target from afar.

Evidently, Iran has provided some technology for these Houthi drone boats based on captured models we’ve seen before. The Iranian military has also been known to experiment with unmanned vehicles and often employs deceptive radio communications aimed at commercial shipping; during times of increased tension in the region, they’ve engaged in boardings and hijackings sporadically.