Adds Houthi spokesperson comments
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. The Transworld Navigator had been targeted in the Red Sea using "an uncrewed surface boat" which led to a direct hit against the ship, Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree said on 23 June. The Stolt Sequoia, which Houthis identified as an oil product tanker, was attacked in the Indian Ocean with a number of cruise missiles. The ships belonged to companies that "violated the ban on entering the ports of occupied Palestine", Saree said in a televised speech. The Stolt Sequoia was expected to arrive in Belgium on 9 July to discharge about 36,000t of base oils, according to Kpler.
The Iran-backed Houthis began attacking ships in the Red Sea six weeks after the Israel-Hamas war broke out last year in what they claim is an act of solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. They have stepped up their attacks in recent days, prompting countermeasures by US and UK military forces deployed in the area. The Red Sea is one of the world's most important shipping lanes, serving as a vital trade link between Europe and Asia.
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.
