MSC said its container ship MSC United VIII was attacked on December 26 while transiting the Red Sea, having to engage in evasive manoeuvres. The vessel informed a nearby coalition task force warship of the attack.

It is worth reminding that Operation Prosperity Guardian was launched recently, bringing together the United Kingdom, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles and Spain, in addressing the security challenges in the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. This was a response to the attacks on merchant ships by the Houthi militia.

The incident with the MSC ship occurred on December 26, 2023, at approximately 12:25 UTC while the MSC vessel was en route from King Abdullah Port, Saudi Arabia to Karachi, Pakistan. Currently, all crew are safe with no reported injuries and a thorough assessment of the vessel is being conducted.

“Our first priority remains protecting the lives and safety of our seafarers, and until their safety can be ensured MSC will continue to reroute vessels booked for Suez transit via the Cape of Good Hope,” the company said in its statement.

Case-by-case decision

Other major container lines have also decided to reroute their vessels the long way around Africa. CMA CGM said that it has rerouted some of its vessels while some have made the transit through the Red Sea. “This decision is based on an in-depth evaluation of the security landscape and our commitment to the security and safety of our seafarers. We are currently devising plans for the gradual increase in the number of vessels transiting through the Suez Canal,” CMA CGM said in its statement.

Also, Maersk said it is ready to resume transiting the Suez Canal and the Red Sea.