Attacks on the MV Maersk Hangzhou

Attack on the MV Maersk Hangzhou
Part of the Operation Prosperity Guardian and Houthi involvement in the Israel–Hamas war
Date 30 - 31 December 2023 Location Red Sea, Gulf of Aden Result United States victory Maersk pauses shipping through the Red Sea.
Belligerents
Yemen (SPC) Houthi movement	United States Maersk
Commanders and leaders
	Marc Miguez
Strength
4 fast attack craft coastal defense batteries	1 freighter 1 aircraft carrier 2 destroyers
Casualties and losses
3 fast attack craft sunk 10 killed	1 civilian freighter damaged

Between 30 and 31 December 2023, the United States Navy and Houthi naval forces of the Supreme Political Council engaged in a naval battle in the Gulf of Aden. The Houthis attacked the Maersk freighter Maersk Hangzhou and attempted to board her. The US Navy responded and defeated the Houthi naval squadron deployed to take the freighter, although the attack still resulted in the disruption of shipping through the Red Sea as Maersk announced a pause on shipping following the attack.

Background

With the start of the 2023 Israel-Hamas war, the Houthi-controlled Supreme Political Council declared its support for Hamas and began launching attacks on shipping transiting through the Red Sea. These attacks caused Maersk, a major international shipping company, to announce on December 15th that its ships would no longer use the Red Sea and instead would transit around the Cape of Good Hope In response to the Houthi attacks, the United States government announced Operation Prosperity Guardian, a naval operation undertaken by Combined Task Force 153 to protect shipping from Houthi attacks. With the increase in security provided by Operation Prosperity Guardian, Maersk announced on 29 December 2023, that its shipping operations would resume transiting the Red Sea. As an incentive for the crew members of ships making such transits, Maersk announced its crews passing through the Red Sea would receive double pay. One of the first Maersk freighters to resume transits through the Red Sea was the M/V Maersk Hangzhou.

For increased protection, the Maersk Hangzhou had aboard a team of armed private security contractors as it transited the Red Sea. Additionally, the United States Navy's Carrier Strike Group 2 had been deployed to the Red Sea as part of Operation Prosperity Guardian. This strike group consisted of the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and its escorting Arleigh Burke class destroyers, USS Laboon and USS Gravely. The USS Eisenhower was equipped with numerous F-18 fighter aircraft and helicopters. The destroyers were equipped with an array of missiles, 5-inch guns and smaller caliber weapons. The Laboon and Gravely also each carried one and two Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk helicopters respectively.

In contrast, the Houthi forces pitted against Operation Prosperity Guardian utilized coastal defense missile batteries and suicide attack drones to launch their attacks. While most of the major naval assets the Houthis had captured during the Yemeni Civil War were destroyed near the start of said war, the Houthi naval forces had at their disposal a number of fast attack craft armed with light autocannons, machine guns and anti-tank missiles.

Engagements

As the Maersk Hangzhou sailed through the Red Sea on 30 December 2023, it was attacked by Houthi missile batteries with at least one missile hitting the ship at approximately 8:30 P.M. local time. The USS Laboon and USS Gravely sailed to the scene and Gravely successfully intercepted two ballistic missiles launched by the Houthis.

The next day, the Maersk Hangzhou was approached by a squadron of four Houthi armed boats armed with mounted weapons. At approximately 06:30 Yemeni time (03:30 GMT), the Houthi squadron sailed within 20 meters of the Maersk Hangzhou and attempted to take her via a boarding action. The freighter's security contractors then engaged the Houthis while the freighter issued a distress call. Helicopters from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and USS Gravely were then dispatched to the scene. On arriving they were engaged by the Houthi squadron. The American helicopters returned fire, sinking three of the Houthi craft and killing their crews. The fourth Houthi boat managed to escape.

Aftermath

After the action ended, the United States' CENTCOM announced that its forces had suffered no casualties or damage. The Houthis acknowledged 10 of its members were killed as a result of the engagement. The Maersk Hangzhou was able to continue its journey north to Port Suez under its own power. However, as a result of the attack, Maersk announced that it was once again suspending its operations through the Red Sea.