2024-01-24T17:03:33+00:00
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/ The Danish shipping company Maersk announced on Wednesday that two ships belonging to its American branch that were crossing the Bab al-Mandab Strait turned back in the Red Sea after nearby “explosions.”
“During the voyage, the two ships reported seeing explosions nearby, while the accompanying US Navy intercepted several projectiles,” the company said in a statement, noting that “the US Navy returned the two ships and escorted them to the Gulf of Aden.”
Maersk said the two ships were not damaged and their crew were unharmed, and that the US Navy escorted them back to the Gulf of Aden.
Maersk said the two ships are part of the Maritime Security and Voluntary Sea Bridge Program with the U.S. government, which provides U.S. Navy protection during transits through the strait.
Maersk Line Ltd., a subsidiary of Maersk Line, operates the U.S.-flagged Maersk Detroit and Maersk Chesapeake, and will suspend its shipping in the area until further notice, according to parent company Maersk.
The Danish company explained that the ships operated by Maersk Line Ltd. carry goods belonging to various US government agencies and were able to continue transiting the strait under the protection of the US Navy.
Last week, Maersk CEO Vincent Clerc said the disruption to global shipping caused by attacks on ships in the Red Sea could last at least a few months.
Maersk and other major shipping companies have instructed hundreds of commercial vessels to stay away from the Red Sea, sending ships via the longer Cape of Good Hope route after attacks on ships by Houthi militants.