Another tanker attacked off Yemen
The "Swan Atlantic" is fired upon in the Red Sea - and hit. This time, too, the attack comes from an area controlled by the Houthi rebels. Their announcement at the weekend had sounded like an easing of tensions.
The war in the Gaza Strip between Israel and Hamas is having an increasing impact on the safety of international shipping in the Red Sea and around the southern coast of Yemen. Important routes between Africa and Asia and via the Suez Canal at the northern end of the Red Sea run to and from Europe. In the Red Sea, the tanker "Swan Atlantic" was fired upon from an area controlled by the Huthi rebels in Yemen, according to US government sources, according to the news agency Reuters.
The Norwegian owner Inventor Chemical Tankers announced that an object had hit the "Swan Atlantic", but that the crew was unharmed. The UK Maritime Transport Office (UKMTO) also reported three possible explosions off the coast of Yemen. Large areas there are controlled by the Houthi rebels, who support the radical Islamic Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
They have repeatedly attacked freighters in the Red Sea, which they accuse of having links to Israel, and fired missiles at Israel itself. The "USS Carney", a US Navy destroyer, responded to the freighter's distress call and set course for it, according to US sources. Several shells were fired at the "Swan Atlantic".
Shipping companies avoid the Suez Canal
The UK Maritime Transportation Office (UKMTO) reported that one incident occurred near the Bab al-Mandab, which connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. A second incident was reported in an area around 30 nautical miles northwest of Mocha, and a third around 24 nautical miles southeast of this port. The British maritime safety company Ambrey also said it had received information about a possible explosion in the water near a ship 30 nautical miles south of Mocha.
Several shipping companies, including the world's largest container shipping company MSC, have reacted and are avoiding the Suez Canal - although this means significantly longer routes around the southern tip of Africa and therefore higher costs. The Swiss-based Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) announced at the weekend that it had decided to take this step because the Houthis had stepped up their attacks. The Houthi rebels had previously attacked the MSC "Palatium III" with a drone in Bab al-Mandab.
Houthis demand end to Israel's counter-offensive
The major Danish shipping company A.P. Moller-Maersk had already stopped all its container shipments through the Bab al-Mandab on Friday. The French shipping company CMA CGM also followed suit. The shares of shipping companies rose on the stock exchanges in anticipation of higher freight prices.
The Houthis had announced that they would continue their attacks until Israel ends its offensive in the Gaza Strip. At the weekend, they declared that serious steps to alleviate the catastrophic situation of the Palestinian population would help to reduce the escalation. It was the first indication that the Huthi might be prepared to ease the situation. The US, which has deployed warships to the region, has said it wants to form a coalition to protect shipping in the Red Sea.
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The escalating Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza is contributing to increased tensions and potential threats to shipping safety in the Red Sea. The tanker "Swan Atlantic" was recently attacked and hit in the Red Sea, with the attack originating from an area controlled by the Houthi rebels, who have a history of launching attacks against freighters and even firing missiles at Israel, due to their support for radical Islamic groups like Hamas.
Source: www.ntv.de
