A TRAFIGURA-operated tanker is battling a fire after being hit with a Houthi missile in the Red Sea.

The Marshall Island-flagged Marlin Luanda (IMO: 9829899) was struck by a missile on Friday evening around 55 nautical miles southeast of Aden.

“Earlier on January 26, Marlin Luanda, a petroleum products tanker vessel operated on behalf of Trafigura, was struck by a missile as it transited the Red Sea,” a Trafigura spokesperson said.

“Firefighting equipment on board is being deployed to suppress and control the fire caused in one cargo tank on the starboard side. The safety of the crew is our foremost priority. We remain in contact with the vessel and are monitoring the situation carefully.”

According to the latest update issued by the UKMTO, all crew are reported to be safe.

The Houthi’s have stated that they will target US and UK vessels, however Marlin Luanda has only limited affiliation with either country.

Marlin Luanda is leased by Trafigura on a bareboat finance lease, but the lease is serviced by Oceonix Services Limited, a UK-based company. 

The ship is ultimately owned by a group of institutional investors operating under the Luxembourg registered Global Transport Income Fund Master Partnership, which is advised by JP Morgan.  

JP Morgan has stated that it does not own Marlin Luanda and Oceonix is not a subsidiary of JP Morgan.  

Marlin Luanda was sailing from Kalamata OPL, Lloyd’s List Intelligence data shows, and was signalling its destination as Singapore.

Houthi military spokesman Yaha Sarea said the group used “a number of appropriate naval missiles” and Friday's strike was “direct”.

UKMTO reported the incident took place around 1942 hrs local time about 60 nautical miles southeast of Aden.

Earlier on Friday, a master reported explosions in the Gulf of Aden and US Central Command said that USS Carney had shot down a missile launched towards it.