Panama’s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday condemned Iran’s seizure of the container ship MSC Francesca, which sails under the Panamanian flag, in the Strait of Hormuz. The ministry described the action as an illegal seizure that violates international law and called it a grave attack on maritime security.
The Panamanian government, which registers the world’s largest merchant fleet and holds a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council, issued the statement hours after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced it had seized two vessels in the strait.
The Revolutionary Guard identified the ships as the MSC Francesca and the Epaminondas. It said both operated without required permits, manipulated navigation systems and posed a threat to security in the waterway. Iranian forces directed the vessels toward the Iranian coast.
The MSC Francesca is Italian-owned and operated by Mediterranean Shipping Company, one of the largest container lines globally. Panama confirmed the vessel was transiting near the strait when Iranian authorities seized it and took it by force into Iranian territorial waters.
“These types of actions increase tensions in the Gulf, represent a serious attack on maritime security, and constitute an unnecessary escalation at a time when the international community is calling for the Strait of Hormuz to remain open to international navigation without threats or blackmail,” the Panamanian Foreign Ministry said in its statement.
The ministry rejected unilateral actions that undermine free transit and put human lives at risk. The incident unfolded on April 22 as tensions remain high in the region. The strait serves as a critical chokepoint for global energy supplies, with about one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas exports passing through it during peacetime.
Iran has stated that ships must request permission to enter or leave the Gulf through the strait. The United States maintains efforts to restrict vessels traveling to and from Iranian ports, part of broader naval measures that have affected traffic since the outbreak of conflict in late February.
Reports from maritime security firms indicated the attacks involved gunfire, with at least one vessel sustaining hull damage though no injuries were immediately reported among crews. Panama said it remains in contact with governments in the region to monitor developments.
The second vessel, the Liberia-flagged Epaminondas managed by a Greek company, was also targeted according to Iranian statements, though Greek authorities later said it remained under its captain’s control. Panama’s statement focused solely on the MSC Francesca and its Panamanian registration.
The Foreign Ministry emphasized that such incidents threaten the safety of seafarers and the free flow of international commerce. As of this writing, the exact status and location of the MSC Francesca remained under review by Panamanian authorities.
