Maersk, one of the world’s largest shipping firms, has halted all of its Red Sea shipping operations until further notice following a Houthi militant attack on vessels in the region. The attack took place over the weekend and resulted in considerable damage to the vessels as well as the cargo on board.
The incident occurred in the early morning hours while two ships, a Panamanian flagged tanker and an Egyptian flagged tanker, were both in the southern Red Sea, between Yemen and Saudi Arabia. It came as a surprise as no warning or prior exercise of such an attack had been anticipated in the area.
The Houthi militants reported to have conducted the attack were attributed to the Iran-backed Shiite Muslim group, which has been involved in a long-standing civil war in neighbouring Yemen against the Saudi-backed Yemeni government. The incident has raised concerns within the international community of the added regional tensions brought about by the ongoing war and other Middle East disputes.
In response, Maersk has temporarily stopped all of its Red Sea shipping operations. A statement from Maersk outlined: “We are currently reviewing our security procedures and policies regarding voyages in the Red Sea following the attack and will consider shipping on a case-by-case basis when it is safe to do so.”
This most recent attack is not the first of its kind on vessels in the Red Sea. Reports have emerged of similar disputes between Saudi and Houthis forces all this year, with the most violent incident prior to the attack on Maersk vessels occurring in July when a Saudi-led coalition vessel was targeted by Houthi forces in the area.
The outcome of the incident is still uncertain, but it appears that the Red Sea could be at risk of becoming an unsafe area for travelers and shipping vessels for the foreseeable future.
Given the complicated circumstances, Maersk’s stance against shipping in the area could be viewed in a positive light as it mirrors the international community’s attempt to de-escalate tensions in the region. Caution should always be exercised when travelling in such volatile areas and no doubt, more stringent security measures will be deployed offshore in the coming months.
Maersk, one of the world’s largest shipping firms, has halted all of its Red Sea shipping operations until further notice following a Houthi militant attack on vessels in the region. The attack took place over the weekend and resulted in considerable damage to the vessels as well as the cargo on board.
The incident occurred in the early morning hours while two ships, a Panamanian flagged tanker and an Egyptian flagged tanker, were both in the southern Red Sea, between Yemen and Saudi Arabia. It came as a surprise as no warning or prior exercise of such an attack had been anticipated in the area.
The Houthi militants reported to have conducted the attack were attributed to the Iran-backed Shiite Muslim group, which has been involved in a long-standing civil war in neighbouring Yemen against the Saudi-backed Yemeni government. The incident has raised concerns within the international community of the added regional tensions brought about by the ongoing war and other Middle East disputes.
In response, Maersk has temporarily stopped all of its Red Sea shipping operations. A statement from Maersk outlined: “We are currently reviewing our security procedures and policies regarding voyages in the Red Sea following the attack and will consider shipping on a case-by-case basis when it is safe to do so.”
This most recent attack is not the first of its kind on vessels in the Red Sea. Reports have emerged of similar disputes between Saudi and Houthis forces all this year, with the most violent incident prior to the attack on Maersk vessels occurring in July when a Saudi-led coalition vessel was targeted by Houthi forces in the area.
The outcome of the incident is still uncertain, but it appears that the Red Sea could be at risk of becoming an unsafe area for travelers and shipping vessels for the foreseeable future.
Given the complicated circumstances, Maersk’s stance against shipping in the area could be viewed in a positive light as it mirrors the international community’s attempt to de-escalate tensions in the region. Caution should always be exercised when travelling in such volatile areas and no doubt, more stringent security measures will be deployed offshore in the coming months.
