Six massive ships have suddenly appeared off the Welsh coast, prompting speculation on social media over why the vessels are there, Wales Online reports.
According to the media outlet, the ships are currently anchoring in the Bristol Channel, off the coast of Gower, as they wait to dock at Port Talbot.
The first of the group, the 200-metre long vehicle carrier Mediterranean Highway registered in Panama, reportedly arrived on the weekend.
The other ships include the UK-registered Whitstar, the Sagar Samrat from Singapore, Panama’s Bulk Endurance as well as the Golden Eagle and the SSI Excellent from the Marshall Islands. The Whitstar is reportedly classified as an oil tanker.
Netizens, meanwhile, remain at loggerheads over what cargo the ships are transporting, with some suggesting that the vessels could be cruise liners, car carriers, or oil tankers.
Full of oil nobody wants
— nigel fisher (@nigelfisher1963) April 22, 2020
Only one guess! Oh are they oil tankers? Well amazing
— thirdshot (@thethirdshot) April 22, 2020
Oil Tankers probably, demand for oil has reduced due to Covid-19 so they have nobody to sell it to..
— Mark Wilson (@DeesideDCool) April 22, 2020
An invasion force to assist the already here New World Order's easy pickings whilst the UK is in lockdown..?
— Nick Myer (@nickmyer) April 22, 2020
They look like tankers. Look at the depth of the hull and the cranes on the deck. Belonging to whom though, and seven of them!!!
— Flimzee (@_Flimzee) April 22, 2020
Carrying 5G masts 😱
— essexflyer🇬🇧 (@GavSparks) April 22, 2020
It's the vaccines on their way to save us all!
— caterpillar (@a_catterpillar) April 22, 2020
Loo paper, tins of tomatoes???
— Tommyboy (@EggboundChicken) April 22, 2020
Looks like a car transporter
— paul lowry (@beerboy138) April 22, 2020
Others argued that the ships are possibly carrying reinforcement supplies, including toilet rolls, which have been purchased up as a result of the COVID-19 panic-buying.
The guesswork came after Business Insider reported on Tuesday that a record amount of crude is being stored offshore in container ships due to a huge decline in demand amid the ongoing the coronavirus pandemic.
On Monday, US crude prices plunged below zero per barrel for the first time in history, dragging down the global market and prodding the Dow Jones Industrial index to drop by 2.44%.
This followed OPEC+ members along with several other oil-exporting countries concluding a deal to reduce global crude output between 2020 and 2022 after the price of black gold dropped to a nearly two-decade low.
