Houthi forces attacked two cargo ships with missiles between June 9 and 10, 2024. The incidents, confirmed by both the Yemeni forces and U.S. Central Command (Centcom), resulted in minor damage to the vessels and no injuries to the crew members. The first one is the MSC Tavvishi, a 5,900 TEU container ship operated by Mediterranean Shipping Company and flying the Liberian flag. It was struck by an anti-ship ballistic missile at the stern while navigating 70 miles southwest of Aden. The missile caused a fire, which the crew successfully extinguished.
The second vessel, the bulk carrier Norderney, was hit by two missiles. There were no injuries reported, and the ship continued its journey independently, arriving in Djibouti on June 11. The Norderney, flying the flag of Antigua and Barbuda, is operated by the German company Baltic Shipping. Following these attacks, U.S. and British naval forces targeted several Houthi positions on land.
The ongoing Red Sea crisis is adversely affecting ports in the eastern and central Mediterranean, while benefiting those near the Strait of Gibraltar. The Moroccan port of TangerMed is experiencing a significant increase in traffic. According to Reuters, TangerMed could surpass its nominal capacity of 9.6 million TEU by the end of 2024, having handled 8.61 million TEU in 2023.
