UK Reports New Ship Attack in Red Sea

by Ship & Bunker News Team
Tuesday April 2, 2024

A new attack has been reported on a commercial ship passing through the Red Sea, according to a British government agency monitoring maritime security in the region.

The incident happened 150 nautical miles north-west of Al Hudaydah at about 7:56 PM UTC on Monday, the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency said in a social media post.

"The master of the vessel reports that they were hailed by an entity claiming to be the Yemeni Navy, who requested the vessel turns on its AIS," the agency said.

"Shortly after the hailing, a crew member of the vessel reported that they had heard suspected gun shots."

Commercial ships operating near Yemen have been coming under attack from the country's Houthi movement over the past four months in a response to the conflict in Gaza.

Several leading shipping companies are now avoiding the region altogether, taking longer routes around Africa rather than using the Suez Canal. This is likely to deliver a significant boost to bunker demand and freight markets while the current situation continues.