Container Ship The Maersk Sentosa Attacked In The Red Sea
A tense situation is unfolding on the high seas as Iran-backed Houthi terrorists from Yemen claimed responsibility on Tuesday for attacking the container ship Maersk Sentosa in the Arabian Sea.
This incident marks the fourth Houthi attack on commercial shipping within a span of 24 hours, escalating concerns about maritime security in the region.
The Houthis reported that they fired ballistic missiles at the Maersk Sentosa along with two other ships on Tuesday. On Wednesday, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that a fourth ship in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait experienced nearby explosions.
The captain of the Maersk Sentosa reported explosions near his vessel while it was 180 nautical miles east of Nishtun, Yemen. The U.S. Navy’s Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC) confirmed this attack, noting it as the Houthis’ longest-range assault against international shipping since they began their terror campaign in November.
Fortunately, no injuries or damage to the Maersk Sentosa or its cargo were reported. The vessel, a U.S.-flagged ship operated by Maersk Line, Ltd., which frequently transports cargo for the American military and government agencies, continued its voyage toward its next port of call. Danish shipping giant Maersk issued a statement affirming the safety of the crew and the continuation of the journey.
In addition to the attack on the Maersk Sentosa, JMIC confirmed that a Liberian-flagged ship named Mount Fuji was attacked south of Mocha on Wednesday.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed responsibility for missile and drone attacks on the Malta-flagged container ship Marathopolis in the Arabian Sea and the Liberian-flagged Patnaree III in the Gulf of Aden. Saree asserted that the Patnaree III was an “Israeli ship,” although it sails under the Liberian flag.
Maersk CEO Vincent Clerc warned clients in July that Houthi terrorism would likely continue disrupting Red Sea shipping into the third quarter of 2024 and beyond.
Clerc cautioned that high shipping costs and delays were expected to worsen as long detours around Africa to avoid Houthi attacks would keep ships at sea longer and reduce the availability of cargo containers.