Maersk, which is one of the world’s largest shipping companies, has said that it is suspending shipping through Red Sea strait following Yemeni rebels’ attacks on merchant ships.
“Following the near-miss incident involving Maersk Gibraltar yesterday and yet another attack on a container vessel today, we have instructed all Maersk vessels in the area bound to pass through the Bab al-Mandab Strait to pause their journey until further notice,” the company said in a statement as per AFP.
Reuters quoted a Maersk spokesperson who said that the company will ask the ships to take a detour around Africa.
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Maersk suspends shipping through Red Sea strait after attacks from Houthi rebels
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“Following the near-miss incident involving Maersk Gibraltar yesterday and yet another attack on a container vessel today, we have instructed all Maersk vessels in the area bound to pass through the Bab al-Mandab Strait to pause their journey until further notice,” the company said as reported by Reuters.
On Thursday, Maersk said that Maersk Gibraltar, one of its ships targeted by a missile when the ship was travelling from Salalah, Oman, to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The company said that the crew and vessel were safe.
Earlier on Friday, Maersk denied claim from Iran-backed Yemeni Houthi rebels that they had struck a ship that was sailing towards Israel.
The Houthis claimed without presenting evidence that they had attacked the container vessel with a drone.
“The recent attacks on commercial vessels in the area are alarming and pose a significant threat to the safety and security of seafarers,” it wrote in the statement.
Maersk’s concerns were echoed by German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock who said earlier on Friday that Houthi rebels’ attacks on shipping were not only threatening Israel but were also a threat to international shipping.
“These attacks endanger not only Israel’s security — these attacks threaten international maritime shipping and the freedom of trade routes,” German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said at a press conference in Berlin with her visiting Lebanese counterpart Abdallah Bou Habib.
(This is a breaking news. More to follow shortly)
