On Friday, Iranian-backed Houthi militants attacked a Singapore-bound oil tanker with an anti-ship missile in the Gulf of Aden, setting the ship on fire, prompting a multilateral rescue operation.
On Saturday, crew members were able to extinguish a fire on board the tanker Merlin Luanda, which was operating on behalf of Singapore-based Trafigura, after about 20 hours.
The latest missile attack marks a serious escalation in attacks by the Houthi militants, given that they have primarily targeted container ships navigating the Red Sea.
Also introduced by AF: As Suez Canal trade tank, China warns Iran about Red Sea attack
As a result, many oil tankers continue to use this route.
In light of Friday’s attacks, there is uncertainty about how long the situation will last, and oil prices have soared. Highest price for more than 2 months.
A Trafigura spokesperson said on Friday that the Merlin Luanda was carrying Russian naphtha (a petroleum product) purchased below price caps in line with G7 sanctions.
This makes the attack even more serious, as tankers carrying Russian and Chinese oil have so far been deemed safe to navigate through the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea.
Both countries are close allies of Iran and major supporters of the Houthis.
The crew is safe and the ship is heading in a safe direction.
in statement “All crew members of the Merlin Luanda are safe and the fire in the cargo tank has been completely extinguished,” commodity trader Trafigura said on its website. The ship is currently en route to a safe port. ”
The statement added that firefighting operations were supported by Indian, US and French naval vessels.
The U.S. military previously announced that U.S. Navy ships and other ships were providing support to the Marlin Luanda.
S&P Global reported The Marshall Islands-registered ship was said to be headed for Singapore.
Trafigura said no injuries or casualties were reported from the attack.
A blow to global trade
Since November 19, the Houthis have launched waves of exploding drones and missiles at ships. They claim the purpose of the attack is to show support for the Palestinians in the Gaza war.
some shipping companies, Including the world’s largest Maerskhalted shipping through the Red Sea.
They are now making much longer and more expensive journeys around Africa, which could further exacerbate sustained high inflation, especially in developed countries.
According to S&P Global, the attack has caused freight rates for ships bound for Europe to rise to the highest level in about four years.
Earlier this week, the United Nations trade agency said cargo traffic through the Red Sea’s Suez Canal, the shortest route between Asia and Europe, had fallen by 45% since the attacks began.
Trafigura said in a statement that there are no other vessels currently sailing in the Gulf of Aden.
“We continue to carefully assess the risks associated with every voyage.”
- Additional information from Vishakha Saxena, Reuters