Maersk, one of the world's largest container shipping companies, announced that it will continue to pause transits through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden until further notice after one of its vessels came under attack over the weekend. The decision comes in response to an incident involving the M/V Maersk Hangzhou, which was struck by a missile on Saturday night.

Fortunately, there were no reported injuries following the attack. The ship's embarked security team was forced to fire back at the four small boats that later swarmed the vessel. Three of these boats were neutralized by a U.S. Navy helicopter, which itself came under fire.

The M/V Maersk Hangzhou was traveling through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait on its way from Singapore to Port Suez, Egypt when the incident occurred. Both the vessel and its crew are reported to be safe. In response to the attack, Maersk immediately suspended transits for an initial 48-hour period to assess the situation.

This attack is the latest in a series of incidents targeting commercial ships in international waters in the Southern Red Sea. The attacks are believed to be carried out by the Iran-back Houthis in Yemen. The U.S. Central Command has reported these two latest attacks on the Maersk Hangzhou as the 23rd and 24th illegal attacks by the Houthis on international shipping since the hijacking of the Galaxy Leader car carrier on November 19, which is still being held in Yemeni waters.

Maersk stated that an investigation into the incident is currently ongoing. The company's update also mentioned that cargo movement through the area will remain paused until further assessment of the situation, as it continues to evolve. In cases where it is deemed most appropriate for customers, vessels will be rerouted and directed around the Cape of Good Hope to ensure minimal disruption to supply chains.

Maersk's decision to suspend transits through the Red Sea in December had led other operators to follow suit and redirect their ships around the Cape of Good Hope. Approximately half of the containerships that typically transit the region have been rerouted since then.

The establishment of the US-led Operation Prosperity Guardian (OPG) naval coalition had initially prompted Maersk to resume transits through the region. However, this recent attack has raised safety concerns once again, leading to the company's decision to pause transits until the situation is thoroughly assessed.

As the investigation continues, Maersk has reiterated its commitment to minimizing the impact on its customers' supply chains and will provide regular updates on the situation.