Maersk Hangzhou narrowly escapes piracy attempt in the Red Sea

On December 30, at around 18:00 CET, the Maersk Hangzhou was struck by an unknown object after crossing the Bab al-Mandab Strait, en route from Singapore to the port of Suez in Egypt. Although there was no fire on board, the ship was able to continue northwards. However, after the initial attack, four boats approached the Maersk Hangzhou and opened fire in an attempt to board.

Fortunately, Maersk Hangzhou’s security team, assisted by a helicopter deployed from a nearby navy vessel, succeeded in thwarting the attempt. The ship’s crew is unharmed.

It should be noted that the Maersk Hangzhou was one of the first ships to cross the Red Sea following the confirmed deployment of the multinational security operation “Operation Prosperity Guardia” (OPG) in the region.