Aframax tanker 'attacked' in Red Sea: Update

  • 25/11/20

Adds extra details and information throughout

The Aframax tanker Agrari was "attacked by an unknown source" early this morning, while at berth in the Red Sea port of Shuqaiq, Saudi Arabia, and suffered a breach, ship management company TMS Tankers said.

TMS Tankers, which manages the 107,000 deadweight tonne (dwt) tanker, said it was struck one metre above the waterline and breached, while preparing to depart from the port where it had discharged. The tanker transported a fuel oil cargo from Ventspils, Latvia to Shuqaiq, arriving on 23 November, according to Vortexa.

TMS Tankers said that the vessel is in ballast condition and stable, and no injuries or pollution were reported as a result of the incident.

Any indication of higher risks in the Red Sea will concern the shipping industry. The Red Sea is one of the busiest shipping channels in the world because of its position at the southern entrance to the Suez Canal. A total of 306 tankers traversed the canal in October, all of which will also have travelled in the Red Sea. Around 2.1mn t of crude and refined products loaded in the Red Sea to the Asia-Pacific region and east Africa during the month, according to Vortexa.

The cause of today's incident is unclear. Saudi semi-official network al-Arabiya said the Agrari was damaged as the result of an alleged foiled attack carried out by the Yemeni Houthi militia group and intercepted by the rival Saudi-led coalition. The Saudi oil ministry has yet to comment on the event.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) issued an advisory notice stating it is aware that an unnamed MT has "experienced an explosion... whilst operating at an oil fired plant at Shuqaiq", adding that investigations are ongoing.

Without explicitly referencing the incident, Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, a member of Yemen's Supreme Political Council, today noted that Yemen's military and security establishments officially announce military and security operations. Houthi armed forces had on 23 November taken responsibility for an attack against a Saudi oil distribution facility in Jeddah, according to the Houthi-controlled Saba news agency.


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