MSC-operated 15,000 TEU container ship MSC Orion was targeted by a long-range Houthi drone in the Indian Ocean on 26 April with Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree confirming the attack.
Houthis fired the vessel despite MSC’s efforts to move all Israel-linked ships out of the Persian Gulf, following the capture of MSC Aries by Iranian forces.
MSC Orion, which departed Portugal’s Sines port on 6 April, was targeted while it was on its way to Oman’s Salalah port to discharge its cargo on 28 April, and omit its scheduled call at Abu Dhabi on 30 April. Currently serving MSC’s Himalaya Express service, its next assignment is yet to be confirmed.
The attack is one of the most far-reaching perpetrated by the Houthis, as MSC Orion was 300 nautical miles from the Horn of Africa.
Maersk and MSC ships suffer second Houthi attack after two weeks
After MSC Aries was captured by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on 13 April, MSC began shifting MSC Orion and nine other Israel-linked ships, namely those owned by Zodiac Maritime and Eastern Pacific Shipping away from the Persian Gulf.
MSC is negotiating with Tehran to get the MSC Aries and its crew released, and under international pressure, Iranian authorities have indicated that the crew would be liberated on humanitarian grounds.
Even as the threat of assaults has seen nearly 5 million TEUs rerouting from the Red Sea to around the Cape of Good Hope, the Houthis have previously vowed to spread their attacks to parts of the Indian Ocean.
Retaliating against Israel for the Gaza War, the Houthis are going after ships associated with Israel or its ally, the United States. The 2020-built MSC Orion is among a series of ships owned by an affiliate of Zodiac Maritime, which is controlled by Israeli tycoon Eyal Ofer.
Combined Maritime Forces, a 43-nation military coalition in the region, said MSC Orion sustained mild damage and none of the crew were hurt, but debris from what appeared to be a drone was found on the ship.
MSC did not respond to Container News’ request for comment.
Martina Li
Asia Correspondent
