Hapag-Lloyd Container Ship Hit By Shrapnel Near Strait Of Hormuz, Crew Safely Extinguishes Fire
A container ship chartered by the German shipping company Hapag-Lloyd was hit by shrapnel in the Persian Gulf early on March 12, which caused a small fire on board. The crew managed to extinguish the fire quickly, and no injuries were reported.
The incident took place near the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important shipping routes for oil and gas.
Hapag-Lloyd confirmed that the Liberia-flagged container vessel Source Blessing was struck by fragments from an unknown projectile during the night.
The impact led to a small fire on board, but the crew was able to put it out and bring the situation under control.
A company spokesperson said it was not yet clear where the fragments came from. It is still unknown whether the debris came from a rocket, a drone, or another type of weapon. The company said all crew members on board were safe.
The Source Blessing is a container ship with a capacity of around 3,200 TEU. The vessel is more than 240 metres long and was built in 2003. Shipping data shows it has a deadweight of about 40,478 tonnes and sails under the Liberian flag.
The ship is owned by a Chinese leasing company and is chartered by Hapag-Lloyd. Hapag-Lloyd has sub-chartered the vessel to Maersk, and it is currently operating within the Gemini Cooperation network.
The ship is used for feeder services within the Gulf region, connecting ports in the United Arab Emirates and Oman.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) centre earlier reported that the master of a commercial ship had said his vessel was hit by an unknown projectile about 35 nautical miles north of Jebel Ali, near Dubai.
Because the incident happened at night, the crew could not immediately assess the damage. A full inspection was expected after daylight.
Hapag-Lloyd later confirmed that the vessel was hit by fragments rather than receiving a direct strike.
Maritime security reports say at least 19 commercial vessels have been attacked since the start of the conflict, and seven ships reported damage within a 24-hour period before the latest incident.
Authorities and shipping companies say it is still unclear whether container ships are being directly targeted or whether they are being hit by debris from nearby attacks or intercepted missiles.
Because the vessel was close to Jebel Ali Port, one of the largest container transshipment hubs in the world, there were early suggestions that the ship may have been affected during an attack aimed at the port.
However, port operator DP World said the port remains fully operational and reported no damage to its infrastructure. The company added that cargo volumes have dropped but ships are still being handled at the terminal.
Other ships in the region have also reported damage in recent days. A container ship operated by Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, the ONE Majesty, was reportedly hit by fragments while anchored about 25 nautical miles from Ras Al Khaimah. The blast left a 10-centimetre hole in the hull above the waterline.
In another incident earlier in March, one of the company’s tankers was hit by an object that appeared to fall from the sky. The company said it may have been debris from intercepted projectiles.
On the same day as the Source Blessing incident, an attack on two oil tankers off Iraq reportedly killed at least one crew member.
The Strait of Hormuz, located between Iran and Oman, is one of the most important maritime routes in the world and carries a large share of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.
Because of the rising security risks, shipping companies have started reviewing their operations in the region. Earlier in the conflict, Hapag-Lloyd said it would suspend transits through the Strait of Hormuz due to safety concerns.
Some vessels are now stuck in the region. Maersk said it currently has about 10 ships unable to leave the area, while Japan’s transport ministry reported that 45 vessels linked to Japan are stranded in Gulf waters.
Industry officials say that even if a ceasefire is reached, it could take one to ten days before shipping operations return to normal, depending on the security situation.
References: DPA, themunicheye
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