Maersk Line has confirmed that Houthi rebels have attacked another of its US-flagged ships. The 2007-built 6,648 TEU Maersk Sentosa was hit by missiles while underway in the Arabian Sea.
A Maersk spokesperson told Container News, “We can confirm that vessel Maersk Sentosa (operated by Maersk Line, Limited, a subsidiary of Maersk and operating US-flagged vessels) reported being targeted by a flying object in the northernmost part of the Gulf of Aden in the early morning hours on 9 July. No injuries to the crew or damage to the ship or cargo were reported. The vessel is currently continuing her voyage towards her next port of call, where she is expected to arrive around noon on 9 July.”
This is the third known Houthi attack on a Maersk ship. In April, another of Maersk’s US-flagged ships, Maersk Yorktown, was targeted by Houthi missiles on two separate occasions, on the 9 and 24 April.
Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree said, “The American ship Maersk Sentosa was targeted in the Arabian Sea by naval forces and missile force in a joint operation.”
EconDB’s vessel-tracking data shows that Maersk Sentosa is assigned to Maersk’s US Middle East Express service and is now around Oman’s Salalah port. The ship is due to call at Jebel Ali on 13 July.
Yahya also claimed that another Maersk-operated ship, the 2013-built 4,957 TEU Marathopolis, which is owned by Greek tonnage provider Costamare Shipping, was hit by a Houthi drone. However, this could not be confirmed.
Yahya noted the Malta-flagged ship was targeted because it is “Israeli”. EconDB’s data shows Marathopolis is assigned to Maersk’s Mawingu service, which connects India, Pakistan, Oman and Kenya.
Yahya added that drones targeted MSC’s 2002-built 2,764 TEU MSC Patnaree III. However, according to EconDB, the ship is now operated by X-Press Feeders for its East Africa-Red Sea service.
Houthi fires new “long-range” missile at another MSC boxship
At least five of MSC vessels have been targeted by Houthis, which seized one of the Swiss-Italian operator’s chartered ships, the MSC Aries, in April.
Martina Li
Asia Correspondent
