Close call for HK-registered Maersk boxship in Yemen missile attack

A HONG Kong-registered containership operating for Maersk reportedly had a close call with a missile fired from Yemen at midday last Thursday.

United Kingdom Trade Operations (UKMTO) cited report from an unnamed vessel that sighted an explosion approximately 50 metres off its port quarter in the area of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

The vessel was identified as the Maersk Gibraltar, a containership built in 2016 owned by Seaspan and operating under charter to Maersk, according to The Maritime Executive, Fort Luaderdale, Florida.

The shipping company confirmed to the Danish publication Shipping Watch that one of its vessels had been involved in an incident reporting that the crew and ship were both unharmed and the voyage was continuing.

The vessel is 119,000 dwt with a capacity of 10,100 TEU and was reported to have departed Salalah, Oman on December 12 and was due to arrive on December 16 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

UKMTO relayed reports that the vessel was also contacted by entities claiming to be the "Yemeni Navy" and was reportedly ordered to change course toward Yemen.