Pentagon reported an attack on two shipping routes in the night to Sunday. An Indian-owned ship was hit – shortly after, the Norwegian-owned “Blaamanen” was targeted.
In the Red Sea: The Norwegian tanker M/V Blaamanen is now heading south from the Suez Canal. Photo: Hansa Tankers / From the shipping company Published:
December 24
Updated December 24
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The attack occurred at about 8 p.m. local time on Saturday, around 6:00 p.m. Norwegian time.
According to the US Central Command (CENTCOM), Houthi rebels fired two drones at shipping routes in the Red Sea.
The Norwegian tanker M/V Blaamanen is among the ships that reported being shot at, the central command stated on X, previously Twitter, early Sunday Norwegian time. The ship is said to have escaped unharmed. The oil tanker Saibaba, registered in Gabon with an Indian crew, reported being hit by a drone, but the reports did not mention any damages.
Israeli and American media report that a third ship, MV Chem Pluto, was also hit by a drone on Saturday. A fire broke out but was quickly extinguished. According to CNN, citing a Pentagon official, the chemical tanker was hit by an Iranian attack drone. This is said to be the seventh Iranian attack on commercial shipping since 2021.
“M/V Blaamanen, a chemical/oil tanker sailing under the Norwegian flag, Norwegian-owned and Norwegian-operated, narrowly avoided being hit by a Houthi drone. There were no reported injuries or damage to the ship,” the US Central Command writes.
Audun Halvorsen, Director of Emergency Preparedness at the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association, confirmed to VG that the M/V Blaamanen is Norwegian.
“We can confirm that a Norwegian-flagged vessel from Hansa Tankers experienced an incident near the ship last night. The ship was not hit. Neither the ship, cargo, nor the shipping company have any connection to Israel,” he said.
In the Red Sea: An American warship USS Carney fires rockets at drones and missiles launched by the Houthi militia in October. Photo: AARON LAU / AFP
In a press release from Hansa Tankers, they state that “Blaamanen” was not carrying flammable vegetable oil.
“The ship sailed through the Red Sea yesterday after a thorough risk assessment, which was done for the safety of the crew, the ship, and the cargo. There is no connection to Israel for ‘Blaamanen’ or its ownership,” they wrote.
The company states that both the ship and the crew are safe, and the journey continues as planned.
“An Indian-owned Gabon-registered Suezmax tanker on its way from the Russian Baltic to India sailed ahead of our ship and was hit by a drone,” the company wrote.
The company also stated that the US Navy offered protection.
In recent times, there have been several drone and missile attacks targeting shipping in the Red Sea, which the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen claim to be carrying out in solidarity with the Palestinians.
Two Norwegian-owned ships have previously been attacked and hit, leading to several shipping companies ceasing operations in the Red Sea.
Monday night it was announced that Norway will contribute ten staff officers to Operation “Prosperity Guardian.”
In the Red Sea: A container ship in the Red Sea earlier this year. The image is not of the Norwegian ship that was attacked. Photo: SUEZ CANAL AUTHORITY / Reuters / NTB
The international operation aims to secure civilian shipping in the Red Sea and deter the Houthi militia.
This has also been met with criticism: Einar Wigen, a professor of Middle Eastern studies at the University of Oslo, told E24 that he is critical of Norwegian authorities accepting a special obligation to protect ships associated with Norway but not sailing under the Norwegian flag.
Correction: In a previous version of the article, it was stated that the Norwegian ship Blaamanen was attacked. The correct information is that the ship was nearly hit by a drone, and a ship just ahead was hit. It is not known if the attack was targeted at the Norwegian ship or not. The article was updated at 15:10 on December 24, 2023