Houthis Doggedly Pursue Bulker with Multiple Attacks

 

Demonstrating an apparent change in strategy the Houthis yesterday, August 21, and again today, August 22, chased a single bulker for hours launching multiple, unsuccessful, attacks against the vessel. Today, the group acknowledged the attacks accusing the vessel which was sold just months ago of violating the militants' bans on association with Israel and calling in Israeli ports.

In the earlier phases of their campaign, the Houthis generally unleashed an attack against a vessel and then moved on to their next target. More recently, they have gone after the same vessel multiple times with a variety of different methods. This for example was seen with the three attacks on crude oil tankers operated by Delta Tankers before the militants were finally successful in disabling one of the vessels on their apparent fourth try yesterday. They however went after the same tanker yet again today in an attack stopped by a French frigate.

Yesterday’s target was a bulker recently acquired by a group called Sea World Management. The Greek-owned company on its website reports it has been in business for more than 30 years and manages a fleet of more than 30 vessels from its offices in Monaco.

It is not the first time the same company has been targeted. They also manage the product tanker Bentley I that was targeted in July. The militants staged multiple attacks claiming to have used "drone boats, unmanned aerial vehicles, and ballistic missiles" but the vessel escaped unscathed. 

The bulker targeted yesterday is now operating as the SW North Wind I (55,989 dwt). Built in 2009, it had operated from Eagle Bulk and briefly passed to Star Bulk in the merger before being delivered to its new owners in June 2024. The ship is registered in Panama and began its current voyage in Korea at the end of July. It made a stop in Singapore and is bound for the Suez Canal, although it stopped transmitting an AIS signal days ago.

UK Maritime Trade Operations received the first report of an attack while the bulker was 57 nautical miles south of Aden, Yemen. The master of the vessel reported at first two explosions in the water nearby. Over the next several hours according to maritime security consultancy Vanguard and UKMTO, there were three further explosions. Again, the vessel suffered no damage and continued its course northbound.

The ship transited the Bab al-Mandeb and UKMTO reports while it was west of Hodeidah there was yet another explosion. This latest attempt came from an unmanned bomb boat. UKMTO believes it exploded short of the vessel while Vanguard reports it made contact but did not cause significant damage. 

The authorities were investigating and had gone to the vessel, but it was continuing on course and leaving the Houthis’ zone of attack.  

It was the 111-incident recorded by UKMTO in 2024. They continue to advise caution for all vessels while it appears the Houthis have adopted a new tactic for the vessels and operators they are targeting.