UKMTO map showing the location of Friday's attack in the Gulf of Aden. Map courtesy UKMTO
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations office has reported a new attack in the Gulf of Aden. According to the agency, the Master of a merchant vessel said his ship was struck by an unknown projectile approximately 83 nautical miles southeast of Aden, Yemen. Thankfully, all crew members are reported to be safe.
Maritime security firm Ambrey identified the vessel as a Singapore-flagged container ship. The ship was transiting northeast along the Gulf of Aden when a nearby merchant vessel observed a “light and blast” at the ship’s location. The advisory noted that the ship appeared to perform evasive maneuvers immediately and switched off its automatic identification system approximately an hour later. Ambrey assessed the vessel to align with the Houthi target profile.
Houthi spokesperson Yahya Sare’e said the group targeted the Lobivia in the Gulf of Aden “due to the company that owns it violating the decision to ban entry to the ports of occupied Palestine.”
Equasis data shows the Lobivia in owned and operated in Singapore. AIS data shows the ship is sailing from Djibouti to Berbera, Somalia.
Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority said it was informed by the manager of containership Lobivia that the vessel had been struck by unidentified projectiles while transiting the Gulf of Aden. The resulting fire onboard has been extinguished by the crew and no injuries were reported. The MPA said the ship arrived at Berbera Port, Somalia under its own propulsion to assess the damage and repairs.
In related news, the Iranian-backed Houthis have claimed responsibility for a long-range drone attack on Tel Aviv on Friday, reportedly resulting in at least one death and four injuries.
Since November 2023, the Houthis have conducted numerous drone and missile attacks from Yemen against commercial ships in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. These attacks have forced a significant portion of global trade to reroute around the Cape of Good Hope, increasing shipping costs and disrupting global supply chains. To date, the group has hijacked one ship, sunk two, and killed at least four civilian seafarers.
Join the gCaptain Club for curated content, insider opinions, and vibrant community discussions.
Join the 110,037 members that receive our newsletter.
Have a news tip? Let us know.
Hapag-Lloyd has secured a major agreement with Beijing-based clean energy provider Goldwind for the annual supply of 250,000 tonnes of green methanol. The deal marks a crucial step in the...
The UK is expanding its Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) to include maritime emissions, marking a transformative step for the shipping industry’s environmental accountability. The expansion will require vessels operating domestic...
The family office for Maria Angelicoussis, Greece’s richest shipping magnate, is boosting publicly traded investments after notching up huge gains in private market bets, according to people with knowledge of the matter.
Access exclusive insights, engage in vibrant discussions, and gain perspectives from our CEO.
Sign Up
Maritime and offshore news trusted by our 110,037 members delivered daily straight to your inbox.
Essential news coupled with the finest maritime content sourced from across the globe.
Sign Up
Join The Club
