Maersk halts ships' passage via Bab al-Mandab Strait for 48 hours

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
31 Dec 2023 14:33
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Amid intensified attacks in the Red Sea, one of the world's largest shipping companies temporarily suspends the passage of its vessels through the strait.

Containers of Danish shipping and logistics company Maersk are seen in Copenhagen, Denmark, on September 14, 2023. (SERGEI GAPON/AFP)

Shipping giant Maersk announced on Sunday it was suspending the passage of vessels through the Bab al-Mandab Strait in the Red Sea for 48 hours, a few hours after one of its container vessels reportedly came under a missile attack and gunfire.

The Maersk Hangzhou, a Singapore-flagged, Denmark-owned and operated container vessel, reported being struck by a missile while transiting the strait.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) organization said earlier on Saturday that it received a report detailing an incident in the Red Sea, approximately 55 nautical miles southwest of the Yemeni port of Hodeidah.

It appeared to be undamaged in that attack and "was able to continue its transit north," said Maersk, one of the world's largest shipping companies.

The US military claimed that an American destroyer shot down two anti-ship ballistic missiles allegedly fired from Yemen as it responded to a call for help from the container ship that was hit in a separate strike.

Later, the Danish shipping company claimed that the vessel was then attacked by four ships, which "engaged fire in an expected attempt to board the vessel."

"In light of the incident -- and to allow time to investigate the details of the incident and assess the security situation further -- it has been decided to delay all transits through the area for the next 48 hours," the Maersk statement mentioned.

This comes despite the US implementing measures to provide reassurance to shipping companies regarding the safety of utilizing the Red Sea and Suez Canal for cargo deliveries, amid ongoing attacks, as per Bloomberg.

This development comes amid an increase in attacks on Israeli and Israeli-bound vessels in the Red Sea. The Yemeni Ansar Allah movement has expressed that these acts come as a form of protest against the Israeli occupation's ongoing onslaught in Gaza.

Ansar Allah has made public declarations, vowing to persist with their attacks until aid is allowed entry into Gaza and until the Israeli occupation forces cease the military hostilities in Gaza.

Failure to counter Yemen

Some two weeks have passed since the Pentagon announced the launch of Operation Prosperity Guardian. However, it continues to be haunted by the reluctant participation of its members and uncertainty behind the operation's objectives.

Major member countries have announced stepping back or scaling down on commitment to the alliance, including France, which said it will not be operating under Washington's orders and will limit its operations to protect EU vessels, and Spain, which declared it will not participate entirely.

Upon announcing the anti-Yemen force, the leader of the Ansar Allah movement, Sayyed Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, warned the US on December 20 against attacking Yemen, stressing that American battleships and vessels would become a target for Yemeni missiles in the event of any attack.

Moreover, according to the stated objectives of the mission, the US Navy and its allies will seek to escort tens of ships through the Red Sea a day, which speaks to the sheer magnitude of the task at hand.

Yemen warns US against hostilities

Meanwhile, the spokesperson for the Yemeni Armed Forces, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, issued a warning on Friday, stating, "We caution the American enemy of the repercussions of any escalation against our nation and our people."

Brigadier General Saree, through his account on X, added, "We caution all nations against getting involved or cooperating with the United States in protecting the Zionist enemy's ships."

He emphasized that Yemen's stance on the Palestinian issue is "steadfast and principled, and will remain unchanged, regardless of developments or challenges," adding that the YAF are fully prepared and ready to counter any aggression.

Saree addressed Washington, saying, "You should heed the warnings of the leader of the Ansar Allah movement."

It is noteworthy that Saree has reiterated more than once that the YAF will continue to carry out military operations in the Red and Arabian seas against Israeli ships or vessels bound to the Israeli occupation entity until needed food and medicine are delivered to the Gaza Strip, confirming that the army is "fully committed to ensuring the continued maritime navigation to all destinations except to the Israeli entity."