MSC Confirms Containership Was Hit Twice by Projectiles Off Iraq

Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) says its containership MSC Sariska V was struck by two projectiles while departing Iraq’s Port of Umm Qasr on Sunday, confirming one of the most serious attacks on a commercial vessel in the northern Persian Gulf since the outbreak of the U.S.-Iran conflict.

In a statement issued Monday, MSC said the Panama-flagged vessel was hit shortly after leaving port.

“The first hit while the pilot was onboard as the vessel departed from port and a second impacted the crew area soon afterwards,” the company said.

MSC said all crew members were unharmed and credited the vessel’s seafarers with responding professionally to secure the ship and its cargo following the attack.

The company also addressed reports that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) had claimed responsibility, reportedly linking the attack to recent U.S. actions involving the Iranian vessel Lion Star,

“This retaliatory action is completely unjustified,” MSC said, emphasizing that it is a neutral commercial carrier with no affiliation to either the United States or Israel. The company noted it is headquartered in Switzerland and owned by the family of founder Gianluigi Aponte.

The confirmation follows a series of advisories issued Sunday by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), which reported that a cargo vessel approximately 40 nautical miles southeast of Umm Qasr had been struck by an unknown projectile, causing a large explosion. A subsequent update reported a second impact and a fire that was later extinguished.

Video circulating on social media showed extensive damage to the starboard side of the vessel above the waterline.

Maritime analyst Sal Mercogliano noted that MSC Sariska V has effectively been trapped inside the Persian Gulf since the conflict began on February 28 and has been operating as part of a regional feeder network established by MSC after deep-sea services into the Gulf were disrupted.

The location and nature of the damage have fueled speculation about the weapon used. Security analysts have suggested the visible impact pattern appears inconsistent with a mine strike and may instead point to an uncrewed surface vessel (USV) attack, similar to incidents reported elsewhere in the northern Gulf during the conflict.

Martin Kelly, head of advisory at EOS Risk Group, previously assessed that the vessel was likely struck in Iraqi territorial waters after completing cargo operations at Umm Qasr.

The attack marks at least the third reported incident involving commercial shipping in Iraqi and northern Gulf waters since March.

On March 4, a tanker anchored southeast of Kuwait reported an explosion alongside the sighting of a small craft departing the area. A week later, UKMTO reported two tankers struck by unknown projectiles south of Al Basrah, triggering fires aboard both vessels and forcing the evacuation of their crews.

MSC said it remains “deeply concerned by these unprovoked attacks and the risk they create for its innocent seafarers, and essential maritime trade in the region.”

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