Yemen’s Houthis hit another bulk cargo carrier: Centcom

Market: Freight
24/06/24

Yemen-based Houthi militants have struck a Greek-owned and operated bulk cargo carrier in a suspected uncrewed aerial system attack on 23 June, said US Central Command (Centcom) today.

This marked the Houthi's fourth attack on the Liberian-flagged Transworld Navigator, which reported moderate ship damage but has continued under way. The vessel most recently docked in Malaysia and was headed to Egypt, according to Centcom. The incident happened near Yemen's Al Hudaydah, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO). The Transworld Navigator is currently in ballast and last discharged about 133,000t of thermal coal in China in late May, according to global trade analytics platform Kpler.

The UKMTO later on 23 June received a separate report of a distress call from a vessel near Yemen's Nishtun. The merchant vessel "suffered flooding that cannot be contained", which forced the crew to abandon the ship, said UKMTO.

The Houthis took responsibility for the attacks on the two vessels and identified the second vessel as oil product tanker Stolt Sequoia, which Houthis attacked with missiles, according to Yemen's state-run Saba news agency. The tanker was expected to arrive in Belgium on 9 July to discharge about 36,000t of base oils, according to Kpler.

The recent spate of attacks prompted the International Chamber of Shipping to last week call for urgent action to stop the Houthis' "unlawful attacks" on commercial shipping in the Red Sea. This came after the sinking of a second bulk carrier, the Greek-owned and operated Tutor, since November last year.

Oil prices were mostly steady despite escalating tensions in the Red Sea. The Ice front-month August Brent contract was at $85.15/bl at 03:43 GMT, down by 0.06pc from the previous settlement. The front-month July WTI crude contract was at $80.66/bl, down by 0.09pc.

By Tng Yong Li

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