No Russian-owned ship has been attacked by Houthis while transiting the Red Sea for 10 months, with only one incident involving a Chinese-owned ship, according to an analysis of 83 attacks.
According to data from the UN’s trade and shipping agency, of the 83 ships targeted between December and September 2, 56 had ownership links to the UK, US or Europe, including 24 from Greece. All but one of the 24 Greek-owned ships were either bulk carriers or tankers. The world’s largest ship-owning country accounted for 30% of all ships attacked, according to the analysis, yet makes up 17% by tonnage.
The findings underscore the dangers that Western-interest ships face when transiting the Red Sea through the Bab el Mandeb Strait.
The Houthis launched attacks in the Red Sea in November, protesting Israel’s war on Gaza, with overall transits down 62% as ships divert around the Cape of Good Hope.
Four sailors have been killed, two ships have been sunk and a third, the Greek-flagged suezmax tanker Sounion, is in danger.
