Shipping Industry Demands Immediate Release Of Galaxy Leader Crew Held Hostage By Houthis

19 February reportedly marks the three-month anniversary of the Galaxy Leader hijacking in the waters of the Red Sea, and nearly 29 industry organizations have come to urge the release of seafarers who had been held captive on board the Galaxy Leader.

The industry’s representative bodies described these 25 seafarers detained on the Galaxy Leader as innocent victims of aggression against worldwide shipping. International organizations and the States must make all efforts to secure the release of seafarers, the statement mentioned. It is also abhorrent that the seafarers had been detained by the military forces and were kept away from their loved ones for way too long.

The 25 crew members associated with the Galaxy Leader should be released now. The hijacking of Ray-Car-Carriers-Ltd-owned, NYK-chartered Galaxy Leader on 19 November last year in the Red Sea by the Houthis sent out shockwaves all over the shipping industry. The Houthis mentioned that they’d hijacked the carrier as it was Israeli-linked in retaliation for the ongoing conflict against Hamas in Gaza.

Video Credits: Daily Mail/YouTube

The Houthi rebels also vowed to continue the striking at the Israeli-linked or Israel-bound vessels as long as the ongoing conflict in Gaza went on. Over the past three months, over 50 vessels were struck with missiles/drones as they were sailing the waters of the Red Sea in the rising indiscriminate strikes.

The result is that almost 80% of container shipping is diverted from sailing the waters of the Red Sea and the Suez Canal to the longer way via the Cape of Good Hope, adding almost 10 to 14 days to the Asia-Europe/Med trips. Dry bulk vessels and tankers have followed suit, even though the owners have encountered pressure from the charterers to keep using the Red Sea.

Despite the military actions against Houthis in Yemen by the US as well as the UK supported by the allies, attacks on commercial shipping continued until the end of last week. In the meantime, 25 seafarers on Galaxy Leader continue to be held hostage even three months on.

Reference: Seatrade Maritime

Shipping Industry Demands Immediate Release Of Galaxy Leader Crew Held Hostage By Houthis appeared first on Marine Insight – The Maritime Industry Guide

Source: Maritime Shipping News