HAMBURG, Germany: A Hapag-Lloyd container ship was hit by shrapnel west of the Strait of Hormuz, Germany’s largest container shipping company said on Thursday.
The hit caused a fire to break out on the subleased ‘Source of Blessing’ ship, a spokesman for the Hamburg-based firm told German Press Agency (dpa) upon request, confirming media reports.
“The crew on board is safe and sound. They were able to extinguish the fire and quickly bring the situation under control,” he said, without disclosing the location of the vessel, citing security reasons.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) Centre reported a ship was hit by an “unknown projectile” north of Dubai.
International shipping in the Gulf region has repeatedly been targeted by Iranian strikes since the United States and Israel began attacking the country on February 28.
Several ships have been hit by projectiles in and near the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway between Iran and Oman, as Iran vowed to block oil shipments to the US, Israel and their allies in a bid to increase the costs of the war.
The Liberia-flagged ‘Source of Blessing’ was built in 2003 and measures 240 metres in length, according to tracking service VesselFinder.
It can reportedly carry around 3,200 standard containers. – BERNAMA-dpa
