Houthis Target Maersk and MSC Vessels as They Vow to Renew Attacks

THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE ^ | 4-24-24 | THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

[dynachrome]

Security services received reports of an explosion near an unidentified vessel today in the Red Sea. It is the first acknowledged report in days and came just hours after the Houthis issued a renewed threat on their official channels.

Details were vague on today’s incident with the UK Maritime Trade Organization issuing only brief details. They received a report from a vessel of an explosion in the water approximately 72 nautical miles southeast of the port of Djibouti. The statement only said that there had been an explosion “at a distance,” and that the crew and vessel were reported safe.

A Houthi spokesperson late today claimed responsibility reporting they had targeted two vessels, the Maersk Yorktown (28,900 dwt) a U.S.-flagged containership operated by Maersk Line Ltd., which operates under contract to the U.S. military, and the MSC Veracruz (68,000 dwt). The MSC vessel is registered in Portugal. The Houthis are again attributing the MSC vessel as an "Israeli ship" while saying a U.S. warship was also involved in today's attacks. UKMTO so far has only reported one distant explosion.

[dynachrome]

They'll sink a ship sooner or later while bidet plays with his pudding.

[G Larry]

If we had a President, we'd knock out the source in a preemptive strike.

Yes, America has a national interest in suppressing terrorist threats to international shipping.

[hinckley buzzard]

If we had a president he would reimpose Trump era sanctions on Iran, who is paying for all these toys. Blockade Yemen so they can’t get any more. Blow up the ones they have left. Should all take a few days at most.

[hanamizu]

YouTube’s What’s Going On with Shipping has a new video about this today, basically saying that the Red Sea has been effectively closed by the Houthi and we need to decide what, if anything we can do about it. U.S.-flagged vessels are taking the long way around Africa, including ships carrying supplies for our military.

[PGR88]

basically saying that the Red Sea has been effectively closed by the Houthi and we need to decide what, if anything we can do about it.

What's going on with shipping is an excellent site

Is the Suez as strategically important as it used to be?

I don't know the answer. Maybe yes, maybe no. I welcome comments.

Colonial UK fought wars to add Sudan and Somalia to the Empire, to protect access to the Canal. The Allies fought Hitler in N.Africa to protect Egypt and Suez. The UK and France were prepared to go to war against Nasser in Egypt to protect it (before Eisenhower stopped them).

If its still as strategic as it was since 1860, then we are ignoring this situation at great peril.

[NWFree]

President Retard will blow up some more tents if they hit anything

[A strike]

“Yes, America has a national interest in suppressing terrorist threats to international shipping.”

Perhaps. Are you saying that the UnitedStates has an obligation to police the world’s shipping lanes?

Even if you stupidly say so, America has a dam sight more, order of magnitude interest in the security of the ‘South China Sea’ transits, Cape of Good Hope and Panama Canal than the Red Sea/Canal.

Or is it our infernal business to be about the security of Euroweenie shipping?

[hanamizu]

Or is it our infernal business to be about the security of Euroweenie shipping?

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No. Let the navies of the nations most damaged provide most of the security. However, American-flagged vessels carrying military cargo have been threatened and turned back due to Houthi actions. One U.S. vessel got through the Suez Canal and then turned back, to sail back through the Med,, around Africa to finally get to Kuwait.

[A strike]

‘k.
I’ve got no problem, and in fact I want, hammering Houthis back to prehistory with extreme prejudice when there is an attack on American shipping or military.
OTOH, why a U.S. vessel carrying military cargo to Kuwait?
and could not Kuwait arrange it’s own transport for said cargo?
must be a MIC Lockheed,Raytheon,Boeing,GeneralAtomics, et al. donor class delivery.

[hanamizu]

The ship that sailed through the Suez Canal and then turned around to sail around Africa was the MV Liberty Power, a U.S.-flagged ship that was hauling cargo from the U.S. to Kuwait I don’t think it was carrying military cargo.

There were U.S.-flagged ships that were carrying military cargo that were turned back after unsuccessfully being targeted by the Houthis.

Ships entering the Red Sea are now being charged higher insurance rates due to the risk. The higher the value of the ship and cargo, the higher the insurance costs. The cost to sail around Africa is now lower, even with the E.U. charging ships for the extra ‘carbon emissions the extra sailing entails.

The nation getting hardest hit by all of this is Egypt, which gets a lot of money from Suez tolls. But they can’t do much for fear of getting missiles from Gaza.

[A strike]

UnitedStates citizens need and by law should be protected from enemies, with violence when necessary.
The MilitaryIndustrialDonor governance of the UnitedStates is undeniably guilty of treason and should pay the Constitutional penalty.