MSC ships to divert transit from Red Sea after attack

Dec 16 (Reuters) – MSC Mediterranean Shipping Co SA ships will not transit the Suez Canal eastbound and westbound, after an attack on one of its container ships on Dec. 15, the shipping giant said in a statement.

The container ship MSC PALATIUM III was attacked at while transiting the Red Sea under sub charter to Messina Line. No injuries were reported, but the vessel suffered some fire damage and has been taken out of service, the statement added.

Some services will be rerouted to go via the Cape of Good Hope.

The company expects the disruption to impact the sailing schedules by several days of vessels booked for Suez transit.

Yemen’s Houthis have been attacking vessels in Red Sea shipping lanes in recent weeks and firing drones and missiles at Israel, saying they aim to support the Palestinians as the Islamist group Hamas and Israel wage war in Gaza.

(Reporting by Gursimran Kaur in Bengaluru; Editing by Alison Williams)

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