Two commercial ships that diverted their course in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden were connected to the same maritime group whose vessel was seized by Yemen’s Houthis, according to shipping data and British maritime security company Ambrey. The Nippon Yusen-operated Galaxy Leader, which Israel chartered to transport cars, was seized on Sunday in a key Red Sea port by Houthi militants who said the ship was carrying goods linked to Israel. The militants released a video on Monday showing armed men dropping from helicopters and seizing the ship.
The Israeli military, which referred to the incident as an “Iranian act of terrorism,” has warned that other vessels linked to Israel are now likely to be targeted in the Red Sea and Bab-el-Mandeb port. The Houthis, an ally of Iran, have been launching drone and missile salvos at Israel in solidarity with Palestinian Hamas militants fighting for control of the Gaza Strip.
A member of the Houthis’ political bureau told Lebanese TV on Monday that the organization will continue its attacks against Israel until it is defeated. “We will not stand idly by against the Zionist enemy, especially after international and American outcry and calls for ending its aggression against the Palestinian people,” Ali al-Qahhoum said.
Houthi leader Ansar Allah has also issued threats to attack the ships of Israel, Saudi Arabia, and other countries that support the Israeli war on Yemen. On Friday, he said the Houthis would not allow the passage of any ship originating from or carrying cargo with Israel.
In a statement on Monday, the Isle of Man-registered Galaxy Maritime Ltd, owner of the pure car carrier, denied any connections to Israel and stressed that no Israelis were among its 25 crew members from Ukraine, Bulgaria, Mexico, and the Philippines. “Israel claims that the Galaxy Leader is an Israeli ship, but this is not true,” the company said.
The seizure of the Galaxy Leader could cause disruptions in shipping and insurance costs, analysts say. Most vehicles shipped from the Far East to Israel, where they are sold, make their way through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden before arriving in Eilat or on the Haifa-Ahdodah rail line. The prospect of such ships being hijacked or attacked is likely to push up insurance premiums, which can be as much as double the regular price.
Ambrey specializes in marine security and develops an MRI digital platform featuring integrated asset tracking and analytics services. The firm was acquired in June 2021 by ocean robotics and data company Ocean Infinity, bringing Ambrey’s leading maritime security experience to a broader customer base with the addition of technology for automated vessels, marine robots, and artificial intelligence. The acquisition will accelerate the deployment of advanced technologies that enable companies to improve operational efficiency and enhance the safety and security of their global fleets. Ambrey’s software, called CrewSmart, will help streamline compliance reporting and communication with offshore operations teams by enabling responsibility for compliance to be assigned to subcontractors — resulting in faster, more efficient processes preparing them for transit and embarkation.
