Andromeda star, the oil tanker enroute from Primorsk, Russia, to Vadinar India, was attacked on 27 April 2024 in the Red Sea. Missiles hit the ship and damages were reported by the ship’s master, the British security firm Ambrey Said. Houthi spokesman Yahya Sarea said the Panama-flagged ship was British owned, but data suggests it was recently sold. Its current owner is Seychelles-registered.
The GuardianThe Iran backed Houthi militants have launched repeated drone and missile strikes in the Red Sea area in a show of support for Palestinian fighting Israel in the Gaza war. The militant group targets the ship’s with ties to Israel. The attack on Andromeda star, comes after a brief pause in the Houthis’ campaign.
After assisting a US-Led coalition to protect commercial shipping, the USS, Dwight, D. The Eisenhower aircraft carrier sailed out of the Red Sea via the Suez Canal on Friday. An American MQ-9 drone was downed in airspace in Yemen’s Saada Province says the Houthi Spokesman.
The Iran aligned Houthi militants have repeatedly been targeting the Israel linked ships in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab Strait and Gulf of Aden since November 2023, forcing the ship’s to re-route and take longer and expensive journeys around the cape of good hope, across the southern Africa disrupting the global trade and finances which might lead to a significant rise in oil prices globally.
The Israel-Hamas war is showing warning signs of creating a spill over and disrupting the peace and destabilising the Middle East, the last incident of peace disruption in the Middle East was the Iraqi-Kurdish conflict in 2017.
Importance of Suez Canal
The Suez Canal is one of the most important trade routes in the world, accounting for 10% of global seaborne trade. 5% of the global trade via sea happens through Panama Canal, any disruption to these trade routes by activities such as those by Houthis can lead to significant financial losses not just for the Middle East but across the world with the oil prices already on a hike given the Russia-Ukraine war, another hindrance in the global trade route could cause huge problems for the global west i.e. Europe and America whose survival in harsh climate depends significantly on fuel oil, if prices go through the roof the average European or American household will not be able to afford the cost of living.
The choking of vital canals will also have a significant effect on Indian and Southeast Asian trades. 50% of India’s exports and 30% of imports go through the Suez Canal. In the era of rising inflation no nation would like a blockage in 50% of their exports. The cape of good hope route not only is longer and more expensive but could also significantly delay the global trade process due to uncharted territory and the smallest route configuration has to take place.
