NYN | News
The Greek company that owns the vessel Groton announced it would stop sending its ships through the Red Sea following multiple attacks by Sanaa government forces on the ship last month.
According to a report published by the Norwegian maritime site TradeWinds on Tuesday, Conbulk Ship Management has joined the list of container ship owners halting operations in the Red Sea.
The report quoted the company’s CEO, Dimitris Dalakouras, speaking at a forum in London: “We have stopped trading there, and this will have very serious consequences if everyone stops.”
Dalakouras added, “The decision is primarily tied to crew safety, and when the crew is at risk, all discussions cease.”
The report explained that this move follows the attacks on the Groton vessel, which has a capacity of 2,490 containers. It was one of three Conbulk ships operating in the region.
The Groton was targeted by Sanaa government forces in two separate attacks in the Gulf of Aden, after the company allegedly violated the ban on entering ports in occupied Palestine, according to a spokesperson for the Sanaa forces.
The first attack occurred in early August, causing fires in the cargo holds and containers on the main deck, forcing the ship to divert to Djibouti for damage assessment and repairs. The second attack took place later that month.
Images published by the media showed the ship’s damage following the first attack. The U.S.-run Joint Maritime Information Center confirmed that the ship was attacked due to other vessels from the same company visiting Israeli ports, validating the Sanaa forces’ claims.
The Groton is a Liberian-flagged container ship, measuring 212 meters in length and 30 meters in width. The decision by the company to halt sending its ships through the Red Sea is further evidence of the success of Sanaa government forces in imposing sanctions on companies dealing with Israel.
