The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has reported a suspicious maritime security incident involving a commercial vessel approximately 15 nautical miles west of Yemen, where multiple small craft approached the ship and an exchange of fire occurred.

UKMTO said it received initial reports of the incident via email, with the vessel’s master reporting the presence of around 15 small craft in the area.

Some of the boats were said to have closed in to within a distance of 1–2 cables of the vessel. During the encounter, an exchange of fire took place.

The master later confirmed that the vessel remained on high alert throughout the incident and that all crew members were safe. No casualties were reported, and the small craft subsequently left the scene. The vessel continued its voyage to its next port of call.

In a follow-up update, UKMTO assessed the incident as suspicious activity and advised vessels operating in the region to exercise caution and report any unusual or suspicious movements to maritime authorities.

Earlier this month, on December 5, a bulk carrier encountered a coordinated attack while transiting the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait off Yemen’s coast.

Maritime tracking data identified the vessel as Bobic, which was reported to have faced two separate approaches involving small craft and a suspected mothership. The vessel’s armed security team was able to repel both incidents by returning fire.

During the incident, another nearby vessel, Globe Aliki, observed the small boats from about one nautical mile away but was not targeted.

These incidents come as some shipping traffic has cautiously returned to the Red Sea following a Houthi announcement in November to suspend maritime operations. However, maritime security experts have warned that while the risk may have reduced, it has not been fully removed.

Despite ongoing security concerns, traffic through the Suez Canal has shown modest signs of recovery. In November, 1,156 vessels transited the canal, carrying 48.5 million tonnes of cargo and generating $383.4 million in revenue. This was up from November 2024, when 1,000 vessels carried 38.3 million tonnes of cargo and generated $300.6 million.

Maritime authorities continue to urge vessels transiting the region to maintain heightened vigilance and adhere to security reporting procedures.

Reference: UKMTO