A Greek-flagged tanker, the MV Sounion, carrying 150,000 tonnes of oil, was attacked in the Red Sea on Wednesday. According to reports, the vessel was hit by at least four projectiles from small boats, approximately 90 miles off the coast of the Yemeni port city of Hodeida. The attack caused a fire on board and the ship lost power, forcing the 25 crew members to abandon ship. They were later rescued by a French military vessel.
The MV Sounion, which was adrift after the attack, has since been anchored, as confirmed by officials on Thursday. However, concerns have been raised about the potential environmental hazard posed by the amount of oil on board. The Aspides military operation of the European Union in the Red Sea has also reported that the tanker’s crew had to destroy an unmanned drone boat in the area.
In a separate attack, the Panama-flagged ship SW North Wind I also suffered minor damage, as confirmed by Houthi officials in Yemen. The group, which controls significant portions of the country, has been targeting ships in the region since last autumn in solidarity with the Palestinian people and to pressure Israel to end its assault in Gaza.
Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi addressed the recent attack in a statement, saying, “From this week’s operations targeting ships violating the blockade on vessels heading to Israel, a ship was adrift…after it malfunctioned because of strikes.”
The Greek shipping ministry has stated that the MV Sounion was en route from Iraq to Agioi Theodoroi in Greece, with a crew of two Russians and 23 Filipinos, along with four private security personnel. Greek Shipping Minister Christos Stylianidis has condemned the attack as “a flagrant violation of international law and a serious threat to the safety of international shipping.”
Britain’s ambassador to Yemen, Abda Sharif, has also expressed concern, stating that “another Houthi attack threatens Yemen’s coastline, fishing industry, and environmental catastrophe.”
The Sounion is owned by Delta Tankers, which has announced plans to move the ship to a safer destination for further checks and repairs. These attacks on shipping in the busy waterway have caused significant disruption to the shipping industry and supply chains. As a result, the price of oil rose nearly 2% during trading on Thursday, with the benchmark Brent crude reaching over $77 (£59) a barrel after four consecutive days of decline.
This recent attack comes just weeks after shipping giant Maersk warned of continued supply chain disruption in the Red Sea until at least the end of 2024. The company has also predicted higher profits due to increased demand and the disruption. The Red Sea has seen multiple attacks on vessels this month, including two other ships operated by Athens-based Delta Tankers.
Earlier this year, the UK and US launched bombing raids on Yemen in an attempt to halt these attacks on shipping, which have so far been unsuccessful.
