Houthi Militants Damage Ship Offshore Yemen, Disrupting Key Trade Routes
In a recent escalation of maritime tensions, the Iran-backed Houthi militant group has damaged a ship offshore Yemen, leading to the abandonment of the vessel by its crew. This incident has further disrupted key trade routes in the Red Sea, causing concerns for global maritime transit.
The attack on the ship was reported by the U.K. Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) on social media. They confirmed that the crew had abandoned the vessel and stated, “Vessel at anchor and all crew are safe.” The Houthi militants later claimed responsibility for the attack, with spokesperson Yahya Sare’e identifying the vessel as the general cargo ship Rubymar and describing it as British. However, data from VesselFinder and MarineTraffic.com indicate that the ship sails under the flag of Belize.
According to MarineTraffic.com data, the Rubymar was en route from the Saudi port of Ras al-Khair to Varna, Bulgaria. The Houthi spokesperson, Sare’e, stated that the ship suffered catastrophic damage and is now at risk of potential sinking in the Gulf of Aden. He assured that the crew had safely exited the vessel during the operation.
While the ship’s status could not be independently verified, global maritime risk expert Ambrey Analytics reported that the vessel was still afloat as of roughly 8 a.m. London time. They mentioned that the ship briefly slowed down and deviated course before returning to its previous course and speed. Ambrey Analytics also received reports of at least three missiles observed in flight towards the Bab el-Mandeb prior to the incident.
These mounting attacks by the Houthi militants have severely impacted marine traffic through the Red Sea, which accounts for approximately 12% of global maritime transit. As a result, several shipping firms, including Danish giant Maersk, and oil companies have either interrupted voyages through the Red Sea or rerouted vessels to take the longer and costlier route around the Cape of Good Hope.
The trade of crude and oil products is particularly vulnerable due to the significant number of key producers located in the Middle East. The disruption in trade has also had an impact on oil prices. At 11:46 a.m. London time, the Ice Brent contract with April delivery was trading at $83.15 per barrel, down by 32 cents per barrel from Friday’s settlement. The front-month March Nymex WTI contract was at $79.05, lower by 14 cents per barrel from the previous close price.
Furthermore, these hostilities have led to armed exchanges between the Houthis and British and American forces. The British and American forces have previously targeted Yemeni targets in an effort to improve maritime security. Sare’e also claimed that the Houthis shot down a U.S. drone in Hodeidah.
In response to these incidents, the U.S. Central Command carried out “five self-defense strikes” against three anti-ship cruise missiles, an underwater drone, and a drone boat in Houthi-controlled regions of Yemen. They stated that these actions were taken to protect freedom of navigation and ensure the safety of U.S. Navy and merchant vessels.
In a separate incident, Ambrey Analytics reported an alert regarding an unnamed Greece-flagged, U.S.-owned bulk carrier calling for military assistance due to a “missile attack” east of Yemen’s port city of Aden. However, this report could not be verified by CNBC.
These ongoing attacks by the Houthi militants not only disrupt key trade routes but also pose a threat to maritime security in the region. The international community must work together to find a resolution to these conflicts and ensure the safety of global maritime transit.
